KND: No Matter What
by CallMeButLove
Summary: One of our favorite five is missing, and one is home again. How will they all re-adjust? What will happen when the truth is finally & completely revealed? Pairings include 3/4, 2/5, and 1/Lizzie, & 362/274. R&R PLEASE, OH PLEASE!
1. An All Nighter

Chapter One:

Nigel Uno, a.k.a. Numbuh One, Galactic Level Operative of the Kids Next Door was VERY SLOWLY making his way to bed at the ungodly hour of 5:43:21 AM. He had stayed up much later than his teammates to go over some new intelligence information. The morning briefing would be difficult to say the least. Not to say that they hadn't ALL been difficult since…

Numbuh One remembered the day he had come home from his initial assignment with the Galactic Kids Next Door. He was over the moon to be back, to see his family and especially to re-unite with Sector V. He had been given the best assignment ever (to his mind)! He was back to tell his old team that they had all been selected to remain active duty operatives past the de-commissioning age of thirteen and that they would, as a team form a new sector – Sector T.V.

As new teen sectors were needed the operatives who qualified _as complete units_ would have their sectors re-named to include the original code letter plus 'T' for Teen. If only select operatives from a given sector were to meet the criteria, then they would be assigned to join any nearby teen sector in need of assistance. As covert Teen ops they would have new and more challenging missions, and the training would be tough. Numbuh One had been sent back to lead his team to greatness once again! His arrival had been carefully timed to be only a few days prior to the scheduled decommissioning of the illustrious Sector V.

The days and weeks flew by in a blur, but all the members of Sector T.V. had a drive to succeed in their training that few could boast of, and added to the loyalty they showed each other that made them nearly unstoppable. As each one reached the age of thirteen, they were given more and more information and increased training and the missions that the team was assigned grew more difficult and dangerous. One particular mission that was transmitted when the five friends were just sixteen proved to be disastrous. Numbuh one shuddered at the memory, it was still so fresh to him even seven months later. He was the Leader, the responsible one, the one supposed to keep them all safe! Yet he had failed. Failed Hoagie, failed Abby, failed Wally and somehow most of all he had failed Kuki.

She had been the one impacted the hardest by the mission's end. He blinked back sudden tears that sprang to his eyes for all his friends in spite of himself. Hoagie had lost his best friend that day; even Abby couldn't make up for that loss no matter how she tried. And Abby herself, had lost a boy she looked at as her little brother, her pain was real too. Nigel had lost a dear friend, one that he had only just gotten back, and an irreplaceable ally in combat. Kuki had lost more than the others combined. She had lost her friend, her companion, her crush (_no – her love_), and in that deprivation more slipped from her grasp than the outward missing pieces could show. Slowly over the months after the mission Kuki had lost her smile, her laugh, her vivacity, and the sector watched helplessly as even her will to live seemed to ebb. Nigel had taken precautions of course. She would NOT slip away. She would NOT be permitted to hurt herself. Every possible means of harm had to be monitored, and Kuki had to be monitored around the clock so she would never sink so far into depression that they could loose her too. He would die before he allowed another teammate to fall on his watch!

Nigel's thoughts turned inevitably to his lost comrade Wally. Headstrong, reckless and often thoughtless, Wally could be difficult to put up with. However he had never been difficult for any of his team to love. They somehow saw past his faults, recognized his strengths and accepted him for his true self, just as he did for them. Wally was unmatched in his combat skills, he could outfight any foe. He had also shown over the past couple of years that he was not nearly as dense as he had seemed in his childhood. He had simply been too preoccupied with other things at the time to bother about being or acting smart. The team knew that without fail they could rely on him no matter what. His reckless streak had occasionally put him in harms way, but he managed to fight his way out of most of his scrapes.

He protected his team ferociously, but none more so than Kuki. She was his special project. He told himself that he was just being a good friend and teammate and that any of the others would do the same, but truthfully it was his own needs as much as hers he served in protecting her. She was essential to the very core of his being – more vital to him than anything or anyone. To forfeit her safety (_or worse her life_) would have been tantamount to demanding that the near seventeen year old boy stop the beat of his own heart.

Now Nigel would have to get up (in just a couple of hours) and give his team the latest devastating news…the search for Numbuh Four had officially been called off by order of both Global and Galactic High Command. He had failed once again because in spite of his efforts to convince them otherwise, the Commanding Operatives had ruled against his petition to continue the search. Nigel had traveled personally to BOTH bases to make his case, but even considering Numbuh Ones' rank, reputation, and position they found no cause to continue the search. The ruling was like a final nail in Wally's coffin, they were all supposed to move on, to act as though he had never been lost or even existed at all.

The biggest fear in Nigel's mind now was that this development would send Kuki over the edge. He would have to re-double her surveillance, and keep everyone on high alert in case she did snap. This could be the one last pain that would finally break her spirit entirely. Just as he began mulling over the options in his mind of how to keep her safe (_as Wally would have done_), Nigel heard a sound from the vicinity of the main room. It sounded as though there was someone moving around in the inky dark of the room. But who?


	2. Out of Darkness

Chapter 2:

Nigel immediately took up a defensive stance. His combat skills kicked in instantly; now that Numbuh Four was gone he was the best hand to hand operative in the sector. He only wondered for a split second about who could have gotten this far into the tree house without triggering the Defense Array. That's when he heard it… A LOUD THUMP followed immediately by two hissed words that Nigel never ever thought he'd hear again.

"Oh CRUD!"

Suddenly the lights came on and the source of the thump and the whispered shout could be seen rubbing his stubbed toe, hopping slightly on his other foot. Nigel blinked in utter shock, as he stood with his hand still on the switch. He could not move or even breathe for here right in front of him was the missing (and officially presumed dead) Numbuh Four! Numbuh One's feet began to step of there own accord toward his friend and teammate so before he really knew he was moving, he had crossed the distance and was staring _up_ into Wally's green eyes. Wally had grown taller even than when the team had last seen him seven months ago. He had hit a growth spurt, and was now taller than all the others. He had been in top physical shape before his disappearance, and even now he was semi-fit. Clearly he had not been training wherever he'd been, but he was not too out of shape yet. He smiled very slightly at his leader and Nigel smiled back even though he noticed a depth of sadness and old pain in Wally's eyes.

"Where have you been, Numbuh Four?! We have been searching for you for months! I just received orders to terminate the search a couple of hours ago, the Command Center has officially had you declared dead and I've been up all night trying to figure out how to tell the others, and your family, and especially how I could ever tell Kuki …"

Wally quietly interrupted him, and the intensity in his voice actually frightened Numbuh One a little. "Where is she, Nigel?"

"Who? Oh Numbuh Three? She's in her room asleep like everyone else. It is still really early you know… hey where are you going?" Nigel already knew the answer, but the shock of having Numbuh Four back and the sleep deprivation was making him a bit less – well astute.

Numbuh Four did not stop moving or even slow his pace, but shout-whispered over his shoulder to Numbuh One, "I promise I will tell you everything that I remember in the morning, Nigel. Then you can make your report to whoever needs it. Right now I have to see Kuki."

"Right, Numbuh Four I understand. I'll call the team in for a briefing first thing YAWN in… a couple… of hours… or years… or…" he trailed off utterly exhausted. The briefing would have to wait. Sleep was now an imperative. He had already decided to wait to awaken Numbuhs Two and Five. They could use the sleep before they got the shock of their lives.

Wally's heart had stopped beating when Nigel had mentioned her name and now as he approached Kuki's curtained doorway it was nearly pounding out of his ribcage. It had been _seven months_ – seven months in that place. The one thought he had held onto was that he **would** see her again. He **would** get out of this and finally hold her in his arms. Nothing else mattered. Nothing else could keep him sane. Kuki had actually saved him from that horror, and she hadn't even been there. _Oh thank god she hadn't been there! If anything like that __ever__ happened to Kuki –_ Wally stopped short, it was too much to think of. He needed to see her again so much and she was just on the other side of this curtain. Without another thought he brushed past the delicate piece of fabric into the room. He stood a moment to adjust to the dim light so he wouldn't trip over some stuffed animal or other, and blinking he took in the sight of her sleeping form.

The first thing he noticed was that she was sleeping all curled up in a little ball instead of stretched out on the bed like she used to. He had often slipped into her room to watch her sleep when they were younger, especially when _he_ was worried or upset. Just seeing her so open, carefree, and peaceful would soothe him like nothing else could. Something else seemed off to him, and suddenly he realized what it was. Her breathing sounded strange, sort of labored and hitched, almost like she was crying in her sleep. The thought cracked his heart, and he stepped to the bed and very softly knelt beside it. His hand reached out automatically and brushed a strand of onyx silk out of her eyes. He could see now that she was not actually still crying, but it seemed pretty clear that she had been. She had cried herself to sleep. At his feather soft touch Kuki stirred slightly, and seemed to breathe a deep shaky breath in through her nose. For a second Wally froze with his hand still holding the strand of errant hair and then he heard it. Whispered from Kuki's lips was one word said with such heart-wrenching, aching sadness that the crack in Wally's heart gave way – it broke completely in two.

"Wally-", she started to cry a little again and he realized that she was crying over _him_. His Kuki had _actually_ cried herself to sleep over him! Who knows how many times this had happened to her in all these months? Her agony was beyond his ability to bear. He couldn't stop himself; Wally leaned down very carefully and placed the gentlest kiss on her trembling lips.


	3. Kuki's Pain

Chapter 3: "Kuki's Pain"

Kuki's eyes fluttered open and at first she did not seem to see him clearly.

"Wally? I – Wally!" she threw her arms around his neck and cried. HARD. Harder than he had ever seen her, even when it seemed like rivers of tears would flow from her eyes when they were little. This was different. Her whole body was wracked with the power of her grief, her shoulders shook, and her voice was thick and raw as she sobbed into his shoulder. All Wally could do was let her cry, and hold her tightly while she did. After a few minutes though the sound of the love of his life in such pain became too much and Wally gently whispered in her ear and softly rubbed her back to calm her.

"Sh-hush. It's alright love, please don't cry anymore. It's OK now, I'm right here – It's OK Kuki". Wally's own voice cracked now, and Kuki looked up at him suddenly with worry. She could see tears glistening in his eyes, and when she peered behind the tears she could see so much emotion. She saw fear, joy, pain, and most of all love. She could see the love that he had never spoken burning in his eyes like smoldering lava. Suddenly, something else flickered to life there, and just as she realized what it was his mouth met hers.

The kiss was not quite the 'first-kiss' Kuki had imagined. The times she had allowed herself to think of kissing Wally at all, it was never like this. In her dreams before he had disappeared, the first time they kissed was always short, sweet, and followed by lots of embarrassed blushing and stammering on the part of both of them. In her dreams before, it was something that happened after they had been on a mission, or out as a group doing something fun like going to the beach or getting ice cream. In those dreams Wally would say that he wanted to talk to her, or that he needed to tell her something and usually he'd turn all pink in the face, then drag her away from the rest of the team. He would finally tell her of his love, and then they would share the 'dream kiss'. It was never more than a peck, but that was probably because Kuki had never been kissed (until now) and so her imagination creating the dreams had nothing to base the 'dream kiss' on. For some reason unknown to her, the reality of being kissed for the first time by Wallabee Beatles was indescribably different from her dreams.

This was the most powerful sensation she had ever felt. The feeling of rushing, flying, soaring through the sky on invisible wings combined with an immense sense of warmth, safety and the knowledge flooding into her heart that this was not just a kiss. This was eternity. This was Nirvana. This was the way her life would be for as long as Wally loved her – forever. Somehow she perceived that her long-awaited love was speaking to her with this kiss. She could, if her heart listened very closely, almost _hear_ his voice filled with emotion as he declared his love, showed her a glimpse of his passion, revealed to her his future plans, apologized unendingly for the anguish she'd suffered. The kiss was deep, but not vulgar – Kuki felt as though her soul and Wally's were melding, fusing into one complete being where prior to this very moment each had been unknowingly fragmented. The tenderness with which he embraced her, the feel of his eyelashes on her cheek, the taste of root beer on his lips (from the pit-stop he'd made in the darkness before Numbuh One had found him), and the heady realization of the enormity of his feelings for her all encapsulated in this one breathless moment. Never had her imagination's conjured 'first-kiss' felt like this. She burned, she ached, she felt filled to overflowing with more joy than she could bear.

Somehow the two seemed to have intuitive foreknowledge of each other. They each felt as though they had been like this for all their lives, and yet every second also had a fresh new and amazing glow never experienced before. Kuki tried with every fiber of her existence to reply to all that the kiss was saying to her. Each subtle movement of her mouth an answer sent to his instantly conveying more than mere words ever could. She knew by the tilt of his head, the intake of his breath short in little puffs, by the way his arms encircled her, by the speed of his heartbeat drumming against her in his chest, that her own messages were being received and understood – completely. There would be time to talk later, right now this was all they needed, and more.

Wally was without a doubt the epic love of Kuki's life. The young age at which she had actually acknowledged this fact (only to herself) was astonishing at first even to her. However judging by this kiss, age had no bearing whatever on the wisdom of her heart. It knew by the time she was ten years old that Wally was the only one she would ever truly love. Feeling him kiss her now only served to confirm indelibly what her heart knew all along.

Kuki had spent the last seven months searching for Wally by day, and dying slowly by night. She had tried to hide the state she was getting to from the rest of the sector, but she knew that her closest friends could see right through her act. When she had actually stopped eating entirely because her grief made food turn to ash in her mouth, it took Numbuh One threatening to have her decommissioned to get her to start again. If she was decommissioned, then she could never find Wally. If she was decommissioned and the others found him, she would not remember him. That thought kept her alive for a long time, and when its effect began to wane Abby had offered a new mantra. _You can't give up or you will HURT Wally!_

"You know Numbuh Five can see you slipping away again girl", she had stated when they were alone in the kitchen one morning about three months into the search. Kuki didn't answer.

"Numbuh Three, Abby – I know how much it hurts. Don't think for a minute the rest of us don't know what Wally meant – means to you. We all love him, but don't you see what you're doing? If you just let yourself die, then you'll be throwing away everything Numbuh Four loved, everything he fought for. Even on the last mission he – ", she stopped abruptly to hug the now sobbing Kuki close. Abby had to reach out and grab hold of the small framed Asian girl, because she had begun to slowly sink to the floor.

"You have to hold on. You have to. For Wally's sake, you cannot give up. Have you thought about what will happen when we find him and bring him home? What will happen to Wally if you go and let yourself die? It will break his heart." Numbuh Five stopped and looked down at her friend, more of a sister to her than Cree had turned out to be, to see if anything she had said had hit home. She had deliberately been using 'when' and not 'if' to describe Wally's homecoming even though her own mind was plagued by more and more doubts every day that passed.

"I know Numbuh Five, you're right. I have to be here when we find him. I can't disappoint Wally by giving up now. Thank you", she smiled weakly. Just then Numbuhs One and Two entered and the conversation turned to the next phase of their quest. Shortly, the team was off chasing another lead that would once again fail to bring them any closer to finding Numbuh Four.


	4. Like Pieces of a Puzzle

Chapter 4:

Wally couldn't tell then, or in after years what had sent him over the edge. Maybe it was the long separation, maybe it was the sight of her red-rimmed and tear-filled eyes in the moon-lit room, maybe it was the sound of her voice sobbing and broken, maybe it was all of this, or perhaps something else intangible. But suddenly, without warning, as she looked up at him with worried eyes, something inside him snapped into place and he found himself kissing the girl he had loved since the day they met. The girl who's image had carried him through seven months of torturous hell. The girl who made him want a life, a future, a family – things he had never even considered. He wanted them all with her, and only her. Into the kiss he poured every ounce of himself, all his dreams, all his hopes, all his devotion. Each moment he had spent apart from her had served to strengthen his ardor and he hoped she would understand as his heart spoke to hers wordlessly.

Finally, for want of air more than anything else the two broke apart. Wally started to stand, not intending to leave, but just to ease his knees on the hard wooden tree-house floor. When he started up however, Kuki let out a yelp of anguish that while not actually very loud, wrenched his heart almost with physical pain.

"NO! Wally please don't leave, you can't leave! Please – "

"It's OK Kooks, I'm not going anywhere. I just need to get off the floor here is all", he smiled at her and brushed more hair from her face as he stood and sat back down on the edge of the bed.

Kuki scooted over some in the bed to allow Wally more room to sit down, and he took her offered space and filled it with his warm person next to her. She was still tucked mostly under her covers, and he sat now leaning against the head of the bed on top of the blankets. He kicked his white sneakers off and raised his legs up onto the bed in front of him. Kuki snuggled up close once he had stilled and he wrapped both his arms around her. It was now without the distraction of kissing her that he realized something else about Kuki was different. She was devastatingly thin. Kuki had always been willowy and slender, but she was healthy – before. Now as his arms enclosed her she felt to him as though she would snap in two like a matchstick. He kissed the top of her head and closed his eyes a moment enjoying the peace that had descended on them since the kiss. He wondered just how much she really had been suffering while he'd been gone.

"Kooks?"

"Hmmm?"

"Are you OK, I mean you seem so thin, and I just thought that maybe something was – "

"I'm fine Wally; that is I will be now. You're home", she said looking up at his face with new tears in her eyes. He wiped them away with his thumbs and whispered an apology.

"I'm so sorry Kuki. I would have come home sooner, I just, well I couldn't that's all", he stopped abruptly with a slight shakiness in his voice. Kuki heard it clear as the horn of a freight train in the middle of the night and she wasn't about to let him suffer in silence. If she could help him now in any way she would try.

"Wally, where were you all this time? Did something happen?" she whispered very softly.

_Did something happen? If she knew the whole truth of the things that happened she would never go to sleep without fear again. I can't ever tell her all of it._

"I was held prisoner Kooks, held against my will. I couldn't get away till now to come back to you."

"Oh Wally, that's awful! I am so sorry that we couldn't find you sooner. We never stopped looking, I swear. We just couldn't find you", she was so sweet trying to convince him of what he already knew. They had not given up on him, not here in Sector T.V. Maybe everyone else had stopped searching, but not his friends. They just had no idea how outmatched they were. They would never have found him no matter how long they looked. If he hadn't escaped when he did, he would not have lived much longer. He did not tell Kuki any of this to her he just smiled and whispered;

"I know you couldn't Kooks. It's not your fault, don't worry".

He felt her relax into his chest at that, and suddenly he felt extremely tired. It was now about 6:45 AM. The team would be summoned to the briefing room at eight, and he would have to go and give his report on his whereabouts, and what he could tell of his captors, not to mention reunite with the other two operatives on his team. He had missed them all very much, but right now he felt Kuki's breathing even out in slumber, he smelled the sweet scent of her hair and he allowed his own drooping lids to fall shut completely. He was home again at last, with Kuki safe in his embrace _Where she has always belonged._ and the rest could wait.


	5. Breakfast Bonding

Chapter 5:

The signal for the start of the eight AM morning briefing sounded exactly on time. Being synchronized by the KND mainframe computer, the clocks in all tree-houses were precisely matched (of course with allowances for time zones). This was a necessity so that any global operation that may come up could be timed to the best advantage of the KND forces. Numbuhs Two and Five had breakfasted together in the kitchen without either Numbuh Three or Numbuh One joining them. This was of little surprise since Kuki had practically given up breakfast entirely lately in favor of sleep filled with dreams of Wally, and Nigel was usually to preoccupied with the new incoming intelligence he was preparing to give them to eat until after the meeting was over. Abby looked at her tablemate from over the rim of her cereal bowl. He looked sad and more than a little defeated, and she found her heart aching for him. Hoagie had an actual little brother, Tommy but ever since the unfortunate incident with Father had permanently barred him from entering the ranks of the KND, Tommy and Hoagie had drifted apart a bit. It was not that Hoagie didn't still love his little brother, but without being able to share very much of their daily lives it just wasn't the same. Wally had been the friend that Hoagie couldn't have in Tommy, and Abby knew like nobody else in the sector what loosing that was doing to him. He suddenly felt her eyes on him and looked up.

"What-cha' lookin' at Numbuh Five? Do I have a milk mustache or something?" he asked pleasantly enough.

"No it's nothing like that Numbuh Two, Numbuh Five was just thinking that you look like you miss Wally today", she replied.

Though he tried to cover it, Abby did not miss his flinch when she said their friend's name. "I miss him everyday Abby, so do you", the statement came out with a nearly clinical detachment.

"I know. We _all_ do miss him, but you just seem, I don't know, _more_ sad today somehow", she stopped. Feeling at a loss for words was not common for her, but Hoagie seemed to leave her that way often these days.

"I didn't think anyone would notice, but I should have known you would. You know me better than I do most of the time", he paused not wanting to reveal too much of his heart for fear of the inevitable rejection that he was convinced would follow.

"It's just that today is the tenth anniversary of the day I met Wally for the first time, and I sort of can't help thinking about him I guess. We were six, and he hadn't been in our school long, it was after he had met Nigel, but I don't know where Nigel was that day…", he trailed off a little, and she murmured some encouraging sounds to get him going again while clearing the bowls, spoons and cups from their cereal and then re-joining him at the table. This time when she sat down she pulled her chair close to his, and on impulse placed her hand gently over his on the tabletop. He looked up for a second and then back down, but he took her hand and continued.

"Like I said I don't know where Nigel was, we usually played together at recess because we were best friends, but this time I was alone and there were some bigger guys who liked to make fun of me because I was already kind of, well, you know – fat", he looked at Abby then and had he allowed himself to see it, he could have found love, tenderness, acceptance and reassurance in her eyes. He did see hurt and no small amount of anger flare there on his behalf, and he saw kindness and friendship. It was enough to ease his way forward.

"Anyway, these guys were totally picking on me and all of a sudden some kid I hadn't seen before came up and started telling them all off. He was smaller than all of them, but he didn't seem afraid at all. He even punched one kid in the nose for something he had said. It was Wally. He told me about what Nigel did for him on his first day, and that he had seen me and decided to help. We have been best friends ever since", Hoagie looked down and seemed to study the intricacies of Abby's hand in his. She saw the tears well up in his eyes, and she (again impulsively) responded to soothe his pain. This time she pulled him too her in a sweet embrace that was a comfort and a shelter to both of them at the same time. Hoagie hugged her back readily, and when she lifted her eyes to his he finally saw _all_ the emotions there that even the ultra cool, collected Abigail Lincoln had never found words to express. He felt more whole in that moment than he had felt in the seven months since they had lost Wally, maybe more so than in his whole life. Just as he was about to give in to the siren call of her lips to his, the signal for the briefing sounded and the two broke apart and headed down the hall to the briefing room.

Strangely, there was no awkwardness for them like Abby would have thought. _I think he was going to kiss me just now, but even so I don't feel embarrassed at all. He doesn't realize how attractive he is really. He still sees himself as the pudgy little boy he was when we were ten. Numbuh Five will have to do something about that, and soon._ The two operatives had expected to enter the briefing room to find their leader already behind his podium, as usual. It shocked and even dismayed them somewhat when they heard movement behind them and turned to see Numbuh One tiredly shuffling toward the room along with them. Abby didn't say anything, but she looked at Hoagie. This could only mean one thing – Numbuh One had not slept the night before because he had to give them bad news. Hoagie tried to bolster Abby's nerves with his eyes, but he saw that that was not going to be enough, so he reached out and caught her hand in his once more. He gave it a soft squeeze, and smiling that she had not pulled away stepped through the briefing room door.


	6. Sleeping Late

Chapter 6:

As the others took their seats, Nigel stepped up to the podium and paused to collect his thoughts. That's when Numbuh Five noticed that Kuki was late – again.

"Um, Numbuh One? I'll just go get Numbuh Three before you get started if you can just wait a minute", she stood as she spoke.

As the realization of what Numbuh Five would find in Kuki's room if she went there now came back to his tired mind, Nigel suddenly fully alert sprang into action. He launched himself toward Numbuh Five, and flipped mid-air to land squarely in her path.

"No! Numbuh Five you stay here, I'll go and get her", he said. Abby started to object.

"But you know Numbuh Five always goes to check on her Numbuh One, what if she's changin' or somethin'?" He stopped her rather abruptly with a curt "That's an order, Numbuh Five!" and he was out the door on his way to Kuki's room.

"Gee, what's with him today?" Hoagie asked as Abby plopped back down next to him in a huff.

"Numbuh Five says he gets what he deserves if he walks in on Kuki gettin' dressed or somethin' after that little power trip", she fumed only a little. Hoagie just laughed softly and held her hand again. Her hand seemed to fit perfectly in his and he wondered how he had never noticed that before. Abby smiled at his touch and placed her head on his shoulder. She was slowly allowing herself to reveal the secrets of her heart now because somehow she knew Hoagie would _never_ turn her away. He loved her back; she had seen it shining crystalline in his eyes.

Nigel had started from the briefing room in such a flurry, that he was actually tempted to run the whole way back to Kuki's room. Then a thought occurred to him which slowed him down to a measured, but purposeful pace. He had absolutely no reason to run anywhere. Numbuhs Two and Five had no reason to follow him. Besides, he seemed to think that Hoagie would not object to a little alone time with Abby - no he would not object to that at all. Also, he was well aware that neither Numbuh Five nor Numbuh Two would disobey a direct order. Not unless they believed there was a direct threat involved to him, or one of their teammates. He respected them. They respected him. That respect would keep them in their seats long enough for him to make sure Kuki _and Wally _were up and about and get them both to the morning meeting. He would bring Kuki back with him, and ask Wally to follow after a few minutes. That way the team would be reunited and then Wally could fill them all in on where he had been all these months. Nigel had a feeling that whatever had kept Wally from coming home until now was not something that any of them would enjoy hearing about. Still it had to be done, the report would need to be made to Global Command and very soon. Wally still hadn't even seen his family. Joey, being a KND operative now understood better than his parents that Wally could never come home. Nigel actually felt a little sorry for the Beatles – they thought Wally had run away from home. They had no idea that his absence was not of his choosing. At least Nigel didn't think so. _No. He would never leave Kuki like that willingly. He loves her too much._ Before he has time to think about any of this any more he was standing outside Kuki's curtained doorway. For a second he listened at the door for sounds of the activity of waking persons in the room. He heard silence, so he paused a beat then knocked just firmly on the door frame. _No answer_ Another slightly louder knock followed by "Numbuh Three, are you awake? It's time for the briefing and, well you're late. I know you had a surprising night-" then he heard Wally's whispered voice.

"Will ya just come in Numbuh One? She's still sleeping."

"Oh. Well she needs to be at the briefing and so do you by the way. Also did you spend the night here? I know I don't have to remind you of the rules, Wally", Nigel spoke softly.

"No you don't need to remind me. You can see for yourself that everything's perfectly above board here. I was gone, now I'm home. I missed Kuki, and I was tired so I slept. She needed me to stay and I did", Wally knew that Numbuh One really understood, but the question did make him feel somewhat defensive.

"I understand Wally. I really do, just understand that I have to do my job too, OK?"

"OK", Wally looked down at Kuki sleeping next to him. _This is how everyday should start_ Shaking off thoughts of waking every morning with Kuki, he gently nudged her awake stroking her arm with one hand and her cheek with the other. He had wanted to wake her with a kiss, but with Numbuh One in the room, he thought better of it.

Little did he know that Nigel was secretly wondering why Wally wasn't doing just that. He had seen the two of them as he had entered the room, and in spite of all the reasons there were to object to two teammates in the same sector being 'involved' these two just couldn't be apart. The last seven months watching over Kuki had shown Nigel that much. He smiled inside, thinking of how happy she would be again to have her Wally back. Outwardly, though he turned his head slightly to give them a second of partial privacy because even though it seemed that Wally might be hesitant to kiss her 'good morning' with Numbuh One in the room Kuki seemed to have no such qualms. She opened her violet eyes and when she was sure that Wally was not a dream, she pulled him down to her for a deeply passionate kiss. Wally was overcome by this display and he enjoyed every second of it. However, knowing that Kuki had not seen Nigel standing towards the door, he stopped the kiss before it could get _too _intense. He smiled down at Kuki and said "As long as you promise to never say 'good morning' to him like that, I suppose I can let Nigel live even though he saw that".

"Oh!" Kuki nearly jumped out of her skin, and turned about four shades of red before she recovered the power of speech.

"It's alright, Numbuh Three. I just came in to get you for the briefing myself so that Abby wouldn't walk in and find Numbuh Four", Nigel smiled. "But now we better be getting back, the others won't understand why I'm taking so long".

"OK. I'll get dressed really quick, but you have to take him with you", Kuki playfully shoved Wally off the edge of the bed onto the floor. Fortunately for him there was a stuffed Panda right underneath him on impact. Kuki giggled then her old sparkle just peeking out for a second, and Nigel watched as Wally tossed a rainbow monkey at her retreating form. She popped back up seconds later with her shoes and a clean green sweater in her arms. Wally took his cue and winking at her, he and Nigel slipped out the door. They quickly stole into the power-supply room, and Nigel told Wally to wait a few minutes before following them to the briefing room.

"I want a few seconds to prepare the team for the shock, all right Numbuh Four?"

"Fine by me Numbuh One, but you'd better hurry up and catch Kuki before she runs in there and shouts it to the skies that I'm back. She's pretty happy about it ya know", Wally grinned.

"Ah! I can't let her just spring it on everyone; they need a little warning..." He ran out like a shot.


	7. Sector TV – Whole Once More

Chapter 7: "Sector T.V. – Whole Once More"

Nigel caught up with Kuki just before she got within ear-shot of the briefing room. She was yelling in an ecstatic voice that Numbuhs Two and Five would never believe the news.

"Numbuh Three wait!", Nigel slowed to a sprint and then stopped as he reached the beautiful Asian girl.

Kuki halted, and turned to face her leader and her friend with a smile that could have lit all of Cleveland for a week.

"But I am so, SO, excited to tell the guys that Numbuh Four, I mean Wally, is finally home! Now we can go on regular rotation missions again, since we don't have to look for him anymore! We have to call Moon Base and tell everyone...", Kuki was cut off not unkindly by Nigel.

"You can't just run in and shout at them that Wally is home. The shock would be too much even if they believed you. More likely they will just think you had been dreaming, and then they'd be blindsided when Wally comes in. Let me try to prepare them OK?", he looked at her hoping she would co-operate and keep quiet at first.

"Oh OK! It will be like a super extra special surprise right?", she looked thrilled.

"Yeah Numbuh Three, it will be a great surprise. The team will love it. Just let me start by trying to get them ready first, then I promise you can bring Wally in yourself. Sound like a plan?", Nigel smiled.

"Yay – oopsy!", Kuki squealed, then she checked her volume seeing Numbuh One's startled look.

Nigel turned once she seemed calm, moved quickly back to the briefing room and without a word he strode up to his podium. Kuki came in directly, playing her part well, rubbing long gone traces of sleep from her eyes. She sat down next to Numbuh Five in her usual place. Everyone still even now, subconsciously registered the empty space on the other side of her small frame. Even after all this time the absence of Numbuh Four remained glaringly, painfully obvious. Numbuh Five whispered to her friend as Nigel opened the meeting with the requisite re-cap of the previous session's minutes.

"You OK girl? Abby tried to tell him not to go get you on his own, but Numbuh Five didn't hear him screamin' in pain so he must have found you up and dressed when he got to your room..."

"Yeah, everything's fine Numbuh Five. Numbuh One didn't walk in on me, I was just running a little late is all. He just told me to hurry, and I did, and here we are", Kuki rambled a bit, but she didn't think Abby had any real suspicions.

Abby was in fact satisfied with her friend's reply. She felt it was a good sign that Kuki was even at the briefing since she had been trying to avoid them lately. Most of the more recent meetings had been about the search for Numbuh Four so for transparent reasons, they came with pain. Abby's internal inventory came to her leader now. She noticed that he did not seem as tired, as he had when they had first come in and she wondered what had altered his mood. Just when she really began to earnestly ponder this, he concluded his re-cap and moved to discuss new business.

"As we are all too well aware, the search for our teammate Numbuh Four has so far been fruitless", he began. Abby's eyes moved to Numbuh Three's face, which for the moment seemed to hold despite the tears in her eyes. She mentally prepped to go chasing Kuki when she bolted from the room in a minute or two, as Numbuh One continued.

"It is for this reason that I traveled to the KND Moon Base HQ and to the GKND HQ to personally plead our cause to the Global and the Galactic High Commands. I conveyed to them our sector's desire to remain out of regular mission rotation and sought permission to continue with our self-appointed mission to find Numbuh Four and bring him home", Nigel paused for breath and glanced at Kuki to see how well she was holding up.

"Unfortunately I failed to convince the Commanders to authorize the team to keep searching...", Numbuh One was immediately cut off by a string of objections and generally irate comments from Numbuhs Two and Five. Numbuh Three looked at him silently with tears streaming down her cheeks. She had now realized that if Wally had not made it home when he did, then they may never have found him. The mere thought broke her heart. Numbuh Five stopped ranting when she noticed the weeping operative next to her. She squeezed Hoagies hand, which was still holding hers tightly even as he argued all his reasons why they could NEVER stop looking for Wally. Once he turned her direction, and could see what Abby was doing she slid closer to Kuki and put her arm around the thin girl's shoulders.

Nigel started again as the others voices died out, but he was grateful for his dark sunglasses because just as he began speaking once more he caught a glimpse of Numbuh Four standing in the doorway, out of the sight-line of anyone other than Numbuh One. Nigel tensed only slightly, but that could easily be attributed to the stressful nature of the topic on which he spoke.

"Wait everyone, please. I have more news. Please let me continue. As I said the Commanders ordered me to terminate the search for Wally. I have been up all night trying to come up with a easier way to give this news and when I finally despaired of finding any easy way, I just spent the time trying to formulate a plan to keep looking without being caught and censured by the High Command. I was just resigned to the painful duty thrust upon me when I discovered something that changes everything", he paused and the others looked at him full of curiosity now.

"I take the greatest pleasure in informing you, members of Sector T.V., that our missing comrade Numbuh Four has at last been located!" Here, a smiling Nigel stopped to let his team yell in their joy and to revel in the moment himself as well. He spoke above the cheers, hollers, and whoops to Numbuh Three.

"Numbuh Three, will you please go and get Numbuh Four and ask him to report with you to the briefing room?", he smiled as she launched herself off the bench, and shrieked with pure joy as she caught sight of her love standing just outside the door.

The others were shocked to say the least, not only that Wally had been found, but also that it seemed that Numbuh Three already knew. All thoughts of these minor details vanished as the two remaining operatives turned to follow Kuki as she ran toward the door and in stepped Numbuh Four himself.

He grinned from ear-to-ear as he scooped her up in his arms quickly twirling her around and replacing her bouncing form on the floor just as Numbuh Two reached them, overjoyed to finally see his best friend again. The look of amazement that etched Hoagie's features was overcome by the widest grin any of his friends had ever seen on his face before. Broader even than when Numbuh One had told him that part of his new duties as a teen operative would include managing the KND Aircraft Design Team, and training the flight crews. He would spend as many hours as he was able designing newer, better, faster planes and then best of all he would get to fly them. Even on that day his look of joy had not compared to this. He embraced his lost friend with no trace of bashfulness, and Wally who was equally elated to see him again, hugged his surrogate brother warmly, unashamed. Words failed them both but there was a brotherly understanding that spoken language could never translate. If they needed to speak later they would. For now, this was enough.

Kuki watch with immeasurable joy as her second family finally became whole once more. She unconsciously took a few steps to the side to allow the others their reunions with Wally. Happy was far too small a word to describe her mood. She looked up and saw Numbuh One, the brave and stoic leader of Sector T.V. Watching them in silent contemplation, and suddenly she bounded across the room to the Podium and smiling spoke to him.

"Come and see Wally, Numbuh One! I know he missed you too, so come on – come say hi!", she was still so child-like that in a way Nigel envied her. His experiences and his leadership role had taken some of what was nearly most dear to him – his youthful heart. Being in charge had its disadvantages because it forced you to grow up a bit more than the rest. He also felt a twinge of loneliness and a longing to have what the four members of his team had so clearly found in each other, a life-long love. A partner. A soul-mate.

Numbuh Three snapped her leader out of his thoughts by literally snapping her fingers in front of his sunglass shielded eyes. He visibly shook himself back to the moment and answered her apologetically.

"I will Numbuh Three. I promise I will, but I think Numbuh Two and Numbuh Five deserve this time with Wally don't you?", he looked over her shoulder at the threesome still engrossed in their joyous reunions.

"Of course I do, silly. I just want you to be happy too, that's all", she looked at him with sparkles in her amethyst eyes.

"I am more happy than I can ever say, Kuki. I will talk to Wally, but don't forget I found him last night in the main room so we have already had our reunion. The others need this, so I will wait", he stopped and Kuki seeming satisfied with his answer turned on her heel and skipped back toward the group.

The instant that Hoagie and Wally separated, Abby stepped up to Numbuh Four and smacked him on the back of the head with her trademark red hat. Hoagie blinked in shock because up to now, she had only ever done that to _him_. He always knew she reacted to him differently because they were uniquely bonded but now, right now watching her and seeing the ache mixed with delight on her face, Hoagie realized that she held Wally as much like a brother as he himself did. She loved Wally just as much as any of them (except maybe Kuki). He actually already knew that of course, but the emotion was raw now, bare and exposed instead of hidden and buried like she usually kept it. The spy in her was ever cool, ever collected, always detached, but this was Abby the girl not the spy. She had a heart filled with emotions of all kinds, and in that moment Hoagie felt his own heart as though burned, branded, permanently marked – 'Property of Abigail Lincoln'. He found that losing his heart altogether to her did not bother him in the least. He only hoped that he would be blessed to receive Abby's whole heart someday in exchange. Had he been able to peer into her most guarded thoughts, he would have known that her heart had been his for years already.

"Don't you ever, EVER put Numbuh Five through anything like that ever again! You hear me?", she raised her voice to Wally in release of all the pent-up emotion flooding her heart at his return.

"I am so sorry Abby – everyone, I am. I would've come home sooner if I could have, I swear", Wally defended earnestly. Abby smiled and told him what he already knew – that she understood.

"I know Numbuh Four, I know. We were all just so worried, and Abby's been trying to keep it together all this time especially for these two", she gesture from Kuki to Hoagie, as Kuki stepped close again and Wally put his arms around her.

"I can tell you've been looking out for her", he answered. "Thanks."

"Nothin' else I could've done, baby. It's what family is, what friends do", she allowed a single tear to escape her eye then, and Hoagie instantly pulled her to him and soothed her, not caring what anyone in the room might say or think. Nigel used the momentary break in conversation to clear his throat and speak into the microphone on his podium.

"Ahem. Sorry team, but I am afraid the meeting must continue. Numbuh Four needs to go and see his family and before he can do that, we need to hear his report on his recent whereabouts and experiences after the unfortunate mission that divided us", the authoritative tone in his voice let the teammates know that it was time to get down to business. Their catching up would have to wait until Wally had told his story.


	8. Wally Speaks – Almost

Chapter 8: "Wally Speaks – Almost"

Wally was silent at first as Numbuh One stepped down from the microphone and took a seat next to Numbuh Two. The others had already resumed their seats when their leader had re-called them to order, but Wally had hesitated just a little. He was understandably nervous after all, his experiences were really not those that he wanted to recount because that would mean reliving them and worse having to see the effect of it all on his closest companions. The panic began to rise as he looked at the four of them sitting there, waiting for him with curious, unknowing faces. They really had no idea what he had survived, and if he had anything to say about it they never would.

He didn't take up the now vacated position behind the podium – that was Numbuh One's territory. It almost felt treasonous to think of standing there. He walked to the middle of the room just to one side of the holographic display that Mr. Sanban had mistaken for a shower that cold winter morning. Numbuhs One, Two, Three and Five traced their long lost friends movements and all of them noted his posture and body language. Kuki tried to smile encouragingly at him, but Wally was studiously avoiding eye-contact with anyone.

_Where can I even begin? They can't handle all the details, but they will know if I lie. I'll just have to leave some things out and hope that they don't realize. _

He finally looked at Kuki and saw her soft sweet smile. He made up his mind then to protect her and all of them from the painful truth no matter what. No way would he allow any of those he loved to hurt the way they would knowing everything. He took a deep breath and began to speak, his thick accent somehow seemed more pronounced even to him.

"You all know how it started. I was on look-out while the rest of you completed the mission", memories passed over each operative's face and Wally continued.

"Well, um, I was fine with look-out as my post because that way nobody could get to any of you except through me. I never expected to be surprised by _him_ 'cause we had the place clear", his sense of failure laced his voice and made the other look down because to varying degrees, they all felt to blame.

"So when he walked right up to me out of the dark, I – well, I just wasn't ready. I should have been ready to protect you" he looked directly in to Kuki's eyes, "but I wasn't." Nigel and Hoagie both tried to convey that Wally was not at fault, that they never would have expected him to fight alone, that they should have been in closer contact to make sure he didn't need back-up, but he shrugged them off. The strain of the morning coupled with the lack of sleep was beginning to wear on Numbuh Four's nerves and rather than risk breaking down in front of them, he rushed out of the room mumbling something about needing to go home and see his family, the last thing Kuki heard from his retreating shape, was a hurried "I promise I will call and check in, love ya Kooks", and almost like Sector T.V. had been merely sharing a dream for the duration of the morning he was gone.

Wally made it out of the tree-house before any of the others could follow him, and feeling as though he couldn't breathe he stumbled out onto the side-walk in front of the Uno home. The sunlight was stinging to his eyes, and it seemed to make the conflicting emotions and thoughts swirling within him sharper, more painful, his head hurt, his vision blurred and he felt so sick that doubled over.

_Why? Why does telling them about it make me feel like this? I feel trapped – like I'm a prisoner again, but that's crazy! These are my friends, my family – well sort of. I should be able to tell them anything,_

As he finally came back to himself from the panic that had nearly engulfed him, he began to walk slowly at first, then faster and faster until finally he was running. Running fast, free, running like his life hinged on his speedy, sure, foot-falls slamming into the pavement. His heart racing, Wally found his mind clearing of all the things befuddling it and he realized that he really did need to get home. There were three other people who missed him, needed him – his biological family at home. Sure his parents could be just as dense and irritating as any other adults but he knew that they loved him. He loved them back, even when he didn't really show it – which was most of the time. Wally made a mental note to try and let them know more often how he felt, he wouldn't get all mushy or anything, but he could at least _try_ to let them know somehow.

Then there was Joey. He'd just turned eight years old, and now an official KND Operative. He had been assigned to Sector V after his academy graduation, along with four other newly graduated rookies. They had established a new tree-house not far from the original Sector V's location so as to not disrupt the KND communications grid, or global tracking web. He knew it was fairly close to the Beatles residence, being only a couple of houses down the street, and Wally thought it only right to go there on his way home. That was the least he could do after he had missed his only brother's graduation. He made his way thoughtfully toward the tree-house, and entered with a bypass security code known only to teen level operatives, so they could help protect the members of a KND tree-house or evacuate them if need arose.

The members of the current Sector V, turned in surprise and alarm, at the sight of a teen entering their domain so easily. The 2x4 technology weapons they brandished were trained on Wally in the instant he set foot inside. He realized that they may not all recognize him right away, so hands up in a surrendering pose, he calmly stated his codename and sector. Just as the others began to lower their weapons, Numbuh 4.1, entered with his trademark weapon of choice – a dodgeball. His eyes widened to seemingly fill his entire face when he realized who it was standing surrounded by his team. Joey Beatles ran up to his big brother, the dodgeball bouncing away forgotten and Wally picked him up for a long-overdue brotherly hug. The others smiled, and moved back to their own activities so as not to intrude on the moment. They knew that Joey's big brother was his hero, the inspiration for his chosen Numbuh and they knew that if the famous Numbuh Four was back now Joey's life would be improved a good deal, at home especially.

The younger Beatles boy babbled on endlessly with childish enthusiasm to his brother, and Wally listened contently for a long time. He had missed his family too, more than he had really allowed himself to admit. Then Joey posed a question which stopped him in his tracks.

"So, if ya were captured by a villain all this time Wally, then what are ya gonna tell Mum? Ya know she thinks you ran away. She's been real sad, Dad too", the boy looked up at Numbuh Four expecting a brilliant reply from the brother, who in his young eyes was the smartest and bravest person in the world.

"I guess I'll figure that out when I go inside. I really should go do that now Joey, but I want you and the rest of sector V to stay here. I don't want you involved, while I try to explain. It will make everything more complicated", when Joey started to voice an objection Wally shut him down firmly, but kindly.

"But I-"

"That's an order Numbuh 4.1", Wally stood then and his brother and the rest of sector V formed ranks and saluted him in farewell as he headed out of the tree-house and towards the home he had not seen in so many months.

He wondered if his dad would be home, or working that second job at the Chicken Bucket today. He actually hoped that his father would be there, because then he would only have to tell the story once. And besides, his dad could help make his mother understand when he told them later that he wanted to go back to Nigel's house with his friends. She wouldn't like that much, he didn't think after Wally had already disappeared for so long. He had reached the front door now and readying himself the best he could, he turned the knob and walked inside.


	9. The Mission Remembered

**Author's Note: Okay, so I have been really trying NOT to put in any author's notes until the end of the story. However I need your help/advice/input...**

**You will see as you read this chapter that the fateful mission is discussed here. I was planning to have the mission be in the story, but writer's block attacked. If you think this works as is please tell me. Or if you think I should actually write the mission out and add it later, let me know. I need mission ideas though, because that's where I was stuck. Once I stopped trying to write the mission itself, the rest of the chapter emerged from hiding. Thanks for reading!**

* * *

Chapter 9: "The Mission Remembered"

The four members of sector T.V. who remained in the tree-house after Numbuh Four's abrupt exodus stayed frozen in their seats for several moments of stunned silence. None quite knew what to think of the sight of their friend in such blatant conflict within himself. They were unsure too of whether to be upset with him or with themselves for the fact that he had run out instead of letting them in past the walls he had put up. Walls that were not there before the mission. That's where it had all gone south – that one stupid, blasted mission. As they sat without speaking each one waging their own little internal battle over what to do next, the memory of that fateful night came flooding back to all. However, it was Numbuh One who put voice to the issue on all of the minds in the room. What could they have done better? Could they have stopped what happened? Where did they go wrong?

"I think we should try to talk about the mission again, team. Clearly, though the objective was met, we failed as a whole that night. I believe that now that we know Numbuh Four is actually unharmed, perhaps we can be a bit more objective and address the deficiencies that led us here. Most of them lie with me, of course...", he came to a halt, and the dejected sound of his voice caused his teammates eyes to snap toward him immediately, where when he'd started they'd still been looking down and inward. Kuki responded softly first.

"Wally isn't 'unharmed', Numbuh One. We all saw him just now, he's really upset", her eyes watered but she did not pause before adding, "But that doesn't make it all your fault. I don't think it's anyone's fault really", she smiled at him, and Nigel nodded in gratitude.

"She's right Numbuh One, any of us could say we are to blame, but the real person who's to blame is whoever did this to Numbuh Four. Maybe we shouldn't have left him out there alone, maybe he could've been more alert, maybe, maybe, maybe... What Numbuh Five means is this, going over what happened so we can plan for future missions is fine, but Abby sure don't want to hear anybody else in here takin' all the guilt on themselves. You know what I'm talkin' about?", she looked around to each of them making sure they truly heard not just her words but their meaning too. Once satisfied, she looked back at Numbuh One and he continued.

"Right then. No more blame and as little guilt as possible. Computer. Auditory review of Operation: N.I.G.H.T.F.A.L.L. Start now", he spoke commandingly, and the computers voice began to fill the room while they listened quietly.

Teens Next Door Operation: N.I.G.H.T.F.A.L.L.

Night-time

Investigation

Gains

Head-start

Totally

Flattens

All

Luminary

Limits

… … … … … … …

The computer's re-cap concluded and the four friends sat silent, each mulling over what they had heard. Emotions ran high through each of their beings, but none dared give voice to the renewed guilt and regret that was again plaguing the group. Once more it was Numbuh One who halted the reflective and mute swirl of thoughts in the room with a question he had asked many times before.

"Ok team, simple question: What did we learn today?" He did not ask in sarcasm or with even a trace of malice, but in earnest – trying to find any trace of a way they could improve on things from here.

Just as on the multiple other occasions, Numbuh Two replied followed by Numbuh Five and Numbuh Three.

"I think that if we'd had my latest upgrades to the 2x4 communicators, that things could have been different. We would have been in constant contact with Numbuh Four, and we'd have known he needed our help, maybe even in time to save him", was Hoagie's response, spoken over the top of Numbuh Five's hat. While the computer had been replaying the mission for them, she had turned and situated herself in her seat so that her back rested against his side, and her head was pillowed on his shoulder. This garnered a raised eyebrow from Numbuh One, but no comment.

"Numbuh Five _still_ says, all future search and destroy missions be carried out by the whole team together, after a full perimeter sweep. That way we reduce or eliminate the need for a look-out entirely", Abby added, form her new favorite spot – using Hoagie for her personal recliner, with his armed draped casually around her shoulder.

It was Numbuh Three's answer that they expected to be less than logical, and probably more than a little emotional, but if that's what they were expecting then the words she spoke must have been quite a shock. They were rational, calm and sensible.

"I think no amount of planning or prep work could have stopped this. We have to stop pretending we can fix it, change the past, and focus on what we might be able to fix now. Isn't anyone else worried about Wally right now?", Kuki paused and upon seeing the others' somewhat startled looks she resumed.

"I mean the mission was planned by the best TND tactical operatives, and Numbuh One, you collaborated with them yourself. It isn't like it wasn't thought through carefully. We followed the mission specs to the letter. Besides, I might sound a little conceited to say it, but we're the best. If anyone could have prevented the horrible events that night it would have been us", again she paused and again no one moved to impede her, so she allowed herself the freedom to proceed.

"Everybody here knows how badly this has affected me, and I'm not going to even try to hide it. I've been a mess, and you guys are the only reason I am still alive now. But we all have to get past what _happened_ and deal with what's _happening_. I think Wally needs us, and we have to be there for him", she sighed and looked down at an imagined speck on her hallmark green sweater.

"I agree Numbuh Three. It has taken me a long time to come to terms with the helplessness of not having been able to stop it then or fix it now, but this last review has finally convinced me that we did do everything by the book. There really wasn't any error or flaw, it's just what happened. It was no one's fault. Not even mine. Now we have to try and be the team we've always been and try to support Wally", Nigel added his thoughts just as the four of them heard the door of the main room close and foot-falls coming toward them echoed across the old wooden planks of the floor.

As Wally entered the tree-house again, he felt a slowly building sense of uneasiness rise in his chest. _No! I won't get all worked up again! These are my friends, it's safe here. I am safe here, and they are safe now too._ The trick seemed to work and he felt a lot better, he even smiled as he ascended the stairs and stepped into the main room. The place did feel like home. He reached the briefing room just as Numbuh One said; 'Now we have to try and be the team we've always been and try to support Wally', and the words became a balm to his heart. He entered the room and breathing deeply, he spoke.

"Thanks Numbuh One", the others turned toward him but they were not shocked. His shoes on the planked floor had betrayed his approach.

"I'm sorry for runnin' out on you guys like I did. I really just felt like I needed time, and my family needs me too. It took my dad forever to convince my mom to let me out of the house this time. I think she's gonna lock me in my room at night now, so I can't disappear", he chuckled a little at this, but the others too quickly remembered the pain of his first disappearance, and they did not laugh.

"Anyway, I finally had to agree to let them call over here to speak to your dad Numbuh One, so that's part of what took so long for me to get back here. I had to go in through the house, so I could see him first. Oh, and I know I said I'd call, but my mom was on the phone to ever single one of her friends the whole time telling them all that I am back", he looked carefully at Kuki who he hoped was not mad at him. She smiled and he started again.

"I suppose I should try to start where I stopped before, right?", when he got no verbal reply but a collection of eight eyes fixed on him with encouragement in them, he picked up his tale anew.


	10. Who's the Villain?

Chapter 10: "Who's the Villain?"

"Ahem", Wally paused a little anxiously and fought the urge coming back up in him to run again. That would only make this whole thing take longer, and he wanted it to be over already. He forced himself to persevere.

"Like I said, I just wasn't ready enough. I got too confident, cocky. I thought we had an easy one on our hands, and so I guess I really wasn't such a great look-out 'cause I wasn't even lookin' his way until he was there practically right next to me", he looked dismayed, and deeply apologetic.

"He never spoke at all. As soon as he saw that it was me he struck. There were green flames all around me and I couldn't get out no matter how hard I tried. He seemed to think that part was funny, cruddy villain",

"Anyway, after he had me caught he asked me where the rest of you were, if you were all there with me, in this really low menacing voice. It was different than how he sounded when we were little somehow. Like it had gotten harder, scarier – deadly", Numbuh Four's eyes showed the true depth of his meaning even though his words were simple.

"I lied. I knew, don't ask me how, that if he found you guys it would have been really bad. Really bad", Wally's friends looked back at him with faces marked by painful regret that they had been unable to help him. They all immediately recognized the villain he'd described. FATHER.

"Then he said 'we' would see how much my friends really meant to me, and the next thing I knew I was completely enclosed in the green flames, and I felt myself being moved. It was really strange. You all remember the green flames right?", he asked. Everyone nodded and he continued the pain-laden memory.

"I don't remember passing out, but there probably wasn't enough air inside the flames for me, and when I woke up I was in a room, or space. It was completely dark. Pitch dark, more black than anywhere I'd ever been before", as he said this Wally remembered a line from a great book Numbuh Two had convinced him to read in the eighth grade. '...like a patch of midnight that had never been cleared away.'

"And it was incredibly hot. Kinda like what you guys said Numbuh Three's house got like when she messed with the thermostat, remember?" They nodded. To his riveted friends, Wally next described the feeling of total blindness that had accosted him in that hole.

"I really wondered if the green flames had made me blind. I couldn't see anything. Not even my own hands when I reached out to try to feel my way to the end of the room. I was hoping to find a door or window, or some kind of opening to get out. I started out trying to walk with my hands out in front of me, but then I thought what if there was a hole or something in the floor? I'd just step off the edge and fall right in before I knew it was there. That's when I decided to crawl. At least that way my fingers would feel the edge of any holes before I fell into them. I figured I'd just crawl as straight as I could until I came to a wall (hopefully not finding it with my head), and then crawl around the wall and look for a door. There had to be a door, or how would Father get me in there, right?", he paused.

"I think I crawled around like that for a long time. I got really hot and really hungry and pretty tired, so I finally stopped and slept a little. The next thing I remember is hearing that voice again, he was talking to me from somewhere that I couldn't see and the echoes made it hard to tell the direction that the voice was in. I just stayed still, hoping that in the darkness he would not be able to see me and he might not know I had moved. I listened to the voice more than the actual words trying to decide where he might be. I thought maybe if I headed that way I might find the door."

"Just when I thought I knew which direction to go, he appeared right next to me and his regular orange-yellow flames were framing him. After the complete dark, it was really bright, it hurt my eyes. He growled and yelled something at me and then he flung me across the room – I found the wall then. I couldn't see well enough to dodge him yet. I guessed that I must have missed something he'd said, like a question that he wanted an answer to, so he was mad now. Madder than usual anyway."

"He came at me again, but this time my vision was clearer, and I ducked away. He howled with rage, and the fire around him got white-hot. I felt it burning my skin, like a really bad sunburn, and I tried to move farther away, but he was floating toward me really fast. Before I could get away from him he grabbed me I could see the embers burning little holes in my hoodie on the floor. I had taken it off and used it for a pillow before, and the sparks were falling on it."

"Then there was nothing because the pain from the burns getting worse as he got closer made me black out", Kuki began to cry again and Wally instantly stopped his oratory and sprang to her side. He hugged her close and whispered words of comfort in her ear, while the others waited in silence for the rest.

Abby looked over her shoulder, with watery eyes of her own, at Hoagie and was a bit startled at the magnitude of anger lighting his usually gentle eyes. He looked back at her grimly, and placed a kiss on her head to show that he was OK, just angry for Wally's sake. Nigel sat mute trying very hard not to blame himself for the fact that his own flesh and blood had turned out to be the most genuinely evil enemy he and his friends had ever faced. Once Kuki's tears had subsided and Wally had convinced her that he truly was OK now, that everything he was saying was over, and that he'd made it through, he resumed his position and began again.

"This time when I woke-up I wasn't lying down on the floor. I was standing up, well sort of, hanging from these shackles in the wall. I was chained to the wall itself and when I stopped feeling dizzy from the pain, I saw that it was stone. The floor was stone too, and there was a fire in the room not far from my feet, burning lots of wood, and sticks and branches. At least that made some light, but the heat hurt my arms and legs. The flames from Father had burned most of the clothes I'd had on off, and burned me too", he realized that this would confuse them somewhat because he was standing before them now in his typical outfit: orange hooded sweat-shirt and baggy comfortable blue jeans. Though these were badly torn and filthy in places, they were not burnt.

"These clothes are ones I got along the road while I was making my way back here. This place where Father held me is definitely not in, or close to Cleveland, I had to travel too long to get back and even though I don't know exactly where it was, I know it's far away", Wally lifted the right leg of his baggy jeans just a few inches and showed his friends the shiny scarred-smooth skin on his leg.

When he saw the involuntary revulsion flash across their faces, he wished he hadn't done it. He made his mind up then that he never would let them see the ugliness again. He would not be going to the beach with them this summer – they didn't deserve to be forced to look at him shirtless now. No one did. Kuki was the only one who seemed to hold his eyes steadily. She never blinked, flinched, or turned away. She accepted him scars and all. That thought bolstered his spirit enough to get through the next part of his story.

"I looked across the room over the fire and saw him standing there again. He asked me questions about the KND, and what we would be doing helping them as teens. I told him that he could keep asking me forever, and I still wouldn't tell him anything that he wanted to know. I probably shouldn't have been so aggressive, because he pressed a button from his spot and the chains holding me to the wall got just longer enough so that I fell forward on to the ground on my knees. I tried to be brave, but that really hurt the burns and I screamed. He laughed", Wally took a shaky breath with the memory of that pain, and kept going.

"He asked me a couple of other questions, and when I wouldn't answer he had one of those big robot things whack me across my back with something hard. I couldn't see what it was. I still didn't answer him, and I guess he got bored with me so he left. Next thing I knew the DTFDTL came in, and the blond girl gave me a little water. After I drank it the blond boy gave me a piece of what felt like bread, but I couldn't swallow it. I was too dizzy. They didn't speak to me at all and I remember being glad they didn't gloat. Don't know how long it was before Father came back, but I woke up again feeling awful, and he was there. He said that if I didn't do what he wanted, and answer his questions, that he'd kill me slowly. Then he punched me in the gut because I spat in his face, pretty stupid of me, huh?"

Nigel interrupted Numbuh Four at this point and suggested that they all needed to rest and have something to eat. It had been a really long day so far, and he was worried about the trauma that Wally had been through and worried too that the depth of the damage done was yet to be seen. He also had a feeling that there was a good deal more to this story than what they'd heard so far. He had no idea just how right he really was.

The five friends slowly rose to exit the briefing room, and all instinctively seemed to draw in around Numbuh Four in a subconscious show of support. For his part, Wally was deeply grateful to Numbuh One for the reprieve, even temporarily and he walked out of the room with his arm around Numbuh Three, protecting her from the ghosts from the past following him in his mind. They made their way to the kitchen and each had some lunch. Though they were quiet at first, the shadow of the horrors they'd heard had begun to lift and by the time they finished eating, they were laughing together almost like old times. Wally and Hoagie had to have a video game match, and they each stumbled over trying to get the girls they loved to watch them. The girls were just pleased to have a little bit of normalcy back, and Kuki felt she had never been so hungry. She went back to the kitchen to get more food. Wally was too caught up in his game with Hoagie to really notice, but Abby did and it made her smile.

After the third 're-match', the boys finally agreed that enough was enough, and since everyone was utterly exhausted they each retired to their rooms for a little shut-eye. Nigel had been enjoying the light-hearted atmosphere that had returned to the tree-house finally, and he told them all that he would set the computer to wake them after 2-3 hours if they weren't awake sooner. He would use the third hour to record his preliminary report for Global Command and that would give everyone a much needed nap. He watched the team file through their respective numbered doors and then turned and tiredly closing his behind him.

Almost as soon as the door to Numbuh One's room was shut, Wally came back out of his room and turned to head towards Numbuh Three's room. He just couldn't sleep without seeing her first, he knew the things he'd told them had hit her pretty hard. Just as he reached her curtained doorway, she stepped out of it and careened into him in her hurry. He caught her before she fell, but in the process lost his own footing and the two of them landed in a heap on the floor.

Kuki giggled first, then seeing his exasperated look, she couldn't help laughing even harder. This struck Wally's funny-bone and his chest rumbled with genuine laughter from beneath her. She smiled once she had regained control of her laughter, and looked down at him shyly, the moment suddenly charged and electric. She was acutely aware of his position beneath her, and the temptation to kiss him again was too much to resist. She tilted her head and lowered her mouth to his, oblivious to the cascades of ebony silk that obscured his view and tickled his ears as they brushed softly past.

Wally saw Kuki's intentions in her tanzanite oculi milliseconds before her head moved, and he responded immediately, kissing her back with fervor. He reached up with his left hand and brushed her hair back behind her ear, and moved his right to caress her cheek. When the renegade strands were in place he slid his left palm back around to secure her head to his and cradle it as she wrapped her arms around his neck. The kiss was shorter than the previous ones had been, but it was just as powerful. Both breathless, Wally broke the connection and asked his love a question.

"Where were ya goin' so fast just now Kooks?" She had laid her head on his chest listening to his heartbeat, and she smiled at the sound of his voice vibrating through his chest into her ear.

"I was coming to see you. I wanted to make sure you were OK, and I -", she hesitated a little unsure.

"You what?"

"I wanted to ask if I could come take my nap with you", she blushed deeply but he was looking up at the ceiling and didn't notice. He chuckled a little at their single-mindedness and replied.

"I was coming to see you for the same reasons. I know that stuff I was saying before was hurting you Kooks and I'm really sorry. I wanted to check on you, and I was going to see if you'd let me stay with you like last night. That was nice", he took his turn now blushing crimson.

Kuki giggled and started to get up using her hands placed on Wally's chest for leverage. However when she applied the pressure needed to raise herself up, he winced and she instantly stopped pressing down and rolled to the side instead. She sat up quickly and queried him with worry in her face.

"Wally, what's wrong? Did I hurt you? I'm really sorry, I didn't think you might still be in pain from what that monster did. I am so sorry", she was rushing over her words now and avoiding his eyes in guilt.

"It's OK Kuki. You didn't hurt me, not really", he lifted her chin to gaze seriously at her with his emerald orbs.

"It's not really pain, it's just that I have some weird sensations left from some of the burns. The scar tissue is sensitive, but not actually what you'd call painful. It's uncomfortable", he smiled reassuringly at her and she relented and matched the expression.

"Let's go take a nap, huh Kooks? I'm really beat", he rose quickly from the floor and before she had a chance to get up, or even reply he swept her into his arms and ducked past the curtain into her room. Once inside, they curled up on the bed and were asleep almost before their eyes closed.


	11. Quiet Moments

Chapter 11: "Quiet Moments"

It was the middle of the afternoon when Sector T.V. re-convened in the briefing room, and all of the teen operatives felt somewhat refreshed by their rest. However, Hoagie and Abby being the only ones who'd actually had a full night sleep the night before, spent the couple of hours that the others slept in Abby's room listening to smooth, relaxing (and semi-romantic) jazz music from her well-appointed stereo system. Hoagie had custom-built the system for her as a birthday gift when they were nine, and he had been continually improving it over the years as technology advanced. He had gone to her room a few minutes after Numbuh One had gone to bed, and asked her shyly if he could work on it a little.

"I mean unless you want to go to sleep, I kinda thought you might stay up but if you-"

"It's OK baby, come on in. Abby knows that fussin' with that system will relax you more than sleep would after everything we've heard this mornin'", she spoke and stepped aside for him to enter smiling at the relief in his face. She had held back long enough, and now came her chance. Hoagie clearly needed her close right now and she, whether she admitted it or not, was very shaken by the things that Wally had describe happening to him. She needed Hoagie just as much as he needed her, and now she could finally show him.

After Numbuh Two had entered the room, he made his way toward the stereo system, and heard the click of Abby's door behind him as she closed it. He thought fleetingly about the fact that he was alone with her now, and that might be awkward since he now realized their shared feelings. Before he got to far into this line of reasoning though he felt her come up and place a hand on his shoulder. He stopped moving, but was actually afraid to turn because he was certain there was an amorous blush splashed all over his cheeks.

Abby sensed the tension in Hoagie's shoulders when she touched him, and softly whispered his name to get him to face her. Beyond his name, no words fell from her soft plump lips but when he turned toward her, he was shocked to feel her arms wrap around him with lightning speed and then her lips on his brought the universe itself to a screeching halt. The room seemed to fall away from them, and everything that had been before was gone. There was only this moment, only the two of them finally sharing a connection, a bond that would burn with the heat of the cosmos and emerge forged steely strong. Nothing could ever break them now.

Hoagie encased the girl of his dreams in his arms with a delicate, sheltering posture, and he smiled into her mouth as she stepped toward him even more, backing him up towards the couch. When they reached it without the use of their eyes or ever breaking contact he sat beside her and re-positioned his head to deepen the kiss. He wanted more than anything to believe this would last, that this amazing, beautiful, smart, cool young woman would not grow tired of him or suddenly realize that she could do better. Somehow in this moment he did believe it. He believed in forever – as long as she loved him, forever really did exist.

Abby could not truly comprehend her own actions entirely. She didn't know until this very second exactly how much she loved Hoagie P. Gilligan, Jr, but she hoped earnestly that he could tell from her kiss that he had nothing to fear from her. His heart was completely safe in her care, and she would die rather than break it. He was kissing her back with more feeling than she had thought possible for one person to contain without bursting. The way his arms felt around her was one of the most amazing things to her. Somehow she'd always imagined him to be a great kisser, but she had not anticipated feeling so utterly at home in his embrace. There was nothing like it, no words could describe the way it felt. Almost as though she had been looking for this place without knowing it all her life and before that even, and had finally found her way home.

As the passionate kiss finally compelled them to take in some oxygen, the two looked into each others eyes and wordlessly finished saying all the things their hearts had been holding secret and locked away. Hoagie brushed his fingers over Abby's eyelids as she let them flutter closed and he kissed each one in turn, then pulled her to him just savoring the chance to hold her close. They stayed there for several minutes, just content to exist together while the earth gradually began to turn again. The mornings events, came inevitably back to their minds, but now there was something stronger to cling to when the pain got to be too much.

Hoagie squeezed the dark-skinned beauty in his arms gently and she stirred, lifting her head to look him in the eye. She reached up and very carefully lifted the ever-present goggles from his face to the top of his head. That is where they had rested while they had eaten breakfast this morning, and she wanted to see his eyes again without any barrier. They were really beautiful, enticing and warm like a Caribbean pool sparkling in the sunshine inviting her, luring her to jump in head-first.

"There. Now Abby hopes you get just how special you are to her. And don't even try to start thinkin' you don't deserve to be loved Mister, caused you do – and Abby, I mean _I_ do", she changed to the first person deliberately to try and make him see how much she really meant what she'd said.

"I love you too, Abby. So much more than I ever knew", he looked at her with the eyes of a man awaking from sleep. Startled joy, and smoldering passion mixed with loving respect and admiration in those eyes she loved so completely.

"Come on, let's get you occupied with that machine over there. You know it will be good for your mind to tinker with it, baby", she said as she separated from him, feeling rather chilly without his arms around her though the room was pleasant and warm.

Numbuh Two grinned at her as she stood up, thinking of a witty one-liner to hit her with about the flush currently residing on her cheeks, but he couldn't bring himself to verbalize it. Besides she looked exquisite right now, and it made him immeasurably happy to see that it was him that caused her to glow so bright. He stood up from the comfy couch and stretched walking back to the stereo and after cutting its power-supply, opened the cover to the controls and gizmos inside. He was soon engrossed completely and that left Numbuh Five free to watch him quietly, enjoying the companionable way he babbled to her about the things he was doing without really expecting, or waiting for a reply from her. She took a book from the shelf and settled in the chair closest to him to read while he worked.

The remainder of the break passed over them in peaceful contentment, once Hoagie decided that he had perfected the system they sat together listening to music, and talking without objective. Just sharing space and themselves without deep or important topic. The music was the perfect background, relaxing them and loosening their tongues, easing nerves and crumbling walls. They lounged on the couch again, Abby wrapped in Hoagie's arms, his chin propped on the top of her head. She had even removed her precious red hat and placed it on the coffee table, so his view of her lovely face was unencumbered. Both of them wished that the signal to re-start the briefing would never come but when it did, they both reluctantly rose and moving hand in hand, left the room to face whatever else Wally had to say together. Each filled with absolute conviction that anything to come would be within their ability to overcome now that they could draw strength from the love stretched like tempered steel between them.


	12. More Misery Shared

Chapter 12: "More Misery Shared"

Once again Wally awoke before the sweet and fragile girl next to him. The difference this time was the way he came back to consciousness. Somehow, he felt as if he was already awake even though the rational part of him also was fully aware that he truly remained asleep. No matter how hard he tried to tell his subconscious mind that there was no danger, that he was asleep, his mind played cruel and anxiety inducing tricks on him.

One minute he was cognizant of being on the bed next to Kuki, the next he was back in the hole where Father had held him. The heat radiating from the fire in front of him was oppressive. The maddening sensation of rivulets of sweat running down his sides, arms, back and dripping painfully salty into his eyes. Maddening because to his misery he was chained to the hot stone wall again, and like before he was powerless to wipe them away. He felt the ground shake as the giant robot returned to do Father's bidding. The chains were heavy, so heavy, more than he could ever lift. His feet were chained too now. The robot drew closer, and closer. Wally knew from experience that this was it – fight or die time. He couldn't fight though, he couldn't move, everything was immeasurably weighted down.

The flames grew taller, brighter and hotter. The rock walls glowed with the intensity of the blaze. Somewhere unseen, Father's laughter could be heard. The robot came pounding into Wally's sight, and as he struggled against his bonds the thing raised its metal fist and swung it full-force down on Wally's helpless head. Before the robot's hammer-like fist connected with any part of him, Wally's nightmare changed and in an instant he was no longer chained. He was free! He could finally get away. He could run!

Father's laughter rose to an exponentially higher level just as Wally's dream-self began to rejoice in his liberation. The young boy blinked in devastated, horrified shock and a gut-wrenching shriek tore from him. The change had been so quick, that he had initially been oblivious. Now the images that confronted him shredded his soul like a thousand rapiers, pierced the battered walls of his sanity as if they were formed of paper, and ripped his heart from his chest with all the delicate precision of a pack hyenas feeding on a kill.

The primal, raw, anguished cry had been catalyzed by the dream showing him the robot's cruel, jagged metal hand lifting back to reveal the havoc it had reeked. Wally stood immobile as red liquid shimmered on the metal a kind of blackened golden hue in the fire light. His eyes involuntarily traced the drops falling and he saw various horrors – Hoagies goggles broken and askew, Nigel's sunglasses lying crushed to shards on the stone, his hand still clutching one of the bows. A scrap of dark blue fabric was discernible in the rubble not far from Hoagie's pilot cap and a hat stained a much, much darker shade of red than it should have been. If those images were not jarring enough it was the last one his nightmare presented that left Wally completely undone.

Though in his dream as he stood rooted to the spot looking at his friends broken and lifeless bodies, he had as yet been spared seeing their eyes. Now the dream shifted again and this time not only were the others all dead, destroyed in a brutal and in-humane way, but now KUKI was there too. She was there with them in the bloodied rubble, he could see her small hand reaching toward him even in death. Her eyes were fixed on him as he stood, and they had never been so cold, so horrific and lifeless. The eyes he loved so much more than his own soul were now empty and held none of the love, humor, or glorious beauty that they exuded in life.

Even as the scream left his lungs in the nightmare and his eyes unable to bear any more of the visions snapped shut, the sound seemed to build and travel from the Wally in the dream to transfer to the voice and throat of Wally on the pink, plush bed. His eyes flew open, he sat bolt upright and unknowingly still screaming, tears on his cheeks, he heard himself just as the sound died away in a choked sob. Of course this sound woke Kuki, who extremely frightened tried to sooth her soul-mate. Wally however was so shaken by the nightmare that he did not actually become fully aware of her or his surroundings until three other operatives came rushing into the room weapons at the ready to defend their friend from what ever evil had befallen him. They all heard him mumbling something not quite tangible about all of it being for nothing, everything was wasted, etc. but they did not comprehend the meaning, and presumed that Wally was still dreaming.

Kuki placed her hand on Wally's arm and felt the shocking violence of his trembling. She felt the slick cold sweat on his skin, and she saw the blank empty stare in his eyes of one who has seen horror beyond description, and faced a terror past all understanding. Immediately she spoke to the three friends looking on, imploring them with her amethyst eyes brimming, to comply. Never once did she face them, thought the words were directed at them. Her eyes remained glued to the blond, Australian's face. He tone was very, very low. Soothing and yet there was an undercurrent of confidence and strength that belied her true feelings of helplessness.

"It's OK guys. Everything's fine. It was only a dream – no one's hurt. _Everyone_ is safe. It was a dream", she repeated that once more in a whisper before moving her eyes from Wally's face to Nigel, who silently led the team out of the room.

Wally still had not stirred, starring with sightless eyes straight ahead. He was half speaking to himself again, and Kuki was able to catch only a fragment of his thoughts.

"I never meant for you to be there. You weren't supposed to be there. None of you should have been there. I'm sorry..."

"Why are you sorry Wally?", she asked him just above a whisper and was almost surprised when he suddenly seemed to hear her voice for the first time and his head pivoted toward the sound.

When realization hit Wally, the effect was startling. He instantly reached out and touched Kuki's face, her hands, her arms. He looked her over with complete thoroughness, checking her from head to toe for any injuries or marks. When he was satisfied that she was in fact completely sound in body, he did the last thing she would have expected of him. He wrapped his strong arms around her, and pulling her close – he cried. Wallabee Beatles, tough-guy extraordinaire, combat specialist, and fearless fighter that he still remained sat holding onto sweet, small, and comparatively weak little Kuki Sanban for dear life.

The sheer relief in finding her safe and the confirmation that the terrible things he'd dreamt of were not more than the conjurations of his mind had reduced Numbuh Four to crying in front of the one person whose opinion of him he valued. He couldn't stop, and somehow he sensed that she understood and did not think less of him. He wondered what else he had done in front of the others, because even though he had not been able to brake free from the dream's hold completely, he did know that they had been in the room. More out of concern that this nightmare might have revealed more to them than he ever wanted them to know, than for any other reason he extricated himself from Kuki's warm embrace and asked her to repeat what she'd heard.

"What did I say that brought the others in here, Kooks?", he looked at her eyes and saw worry and tremendous love, but none of the pity he had feared.

"You screamed. It was awful, I don't think the others recognized what you said but I did", she stopped with a sad look down.

"What was it Kuki? What did I say?"

"It was my name. You screamed it. Wally did I do something to hurt you in your nightmare?", she asked with a tremble to her lower lip, and it occurred to him that she was afraid that she had caused this to happen to him. He would have laughed if he'd had the strength.

"No way! Kooks, you didn't do anything to me. I was just dreaming about the place that Father kept me is all, and in my dream you were there too, and I was scared for ya'. I yelled because I didn't want you to get hurt", he answered somewhat hesitant to give her all the details even though he knew that lying to her was wrong. He had to protect her. Both of them turned towards the doorway as Numbuh One stepped in and addressed them.

"Ahem. Excuse me you two, but you missed the signal to finish the meeting. It was probably going off at the same time Numbuh Four screamed. I am sorry to do this to you again Wally, but we had better get it over with, that way the report can be made to Global Command, and we can all start to move forward", he looked at them expectantly and when they did not immediately rise to follow him, he said that he would see them both in the briefing room, and took his leave.

Wally felt the heat of embarrassment rise into his cheeks when Numbuh One mentioned the screaming, but his friend's voice held no disappointment nor any reproach that Wally had again slept here in Numbuh Three's room instead of his own. Kuki had a question on her mind though, and had waited to get him alone again to ask.

"Are you sure I didn't do something bad in your dream, Wally?", she half-pouted up at him.

"I'm sure. You didn't do anything to me Kooks, I promise", he answered with a kiss on her nose.

She giggled a little and sighed in resignation, stood from the bed and walking around it to the other side took Wally by the hand and pulled him up. When he was on his feet again, Wally took the opportunity to kiss her soundly, but quickly before turning to leave the room still holding her hand. He would never let her go, not ever.


	13. Escape!

Chapter 13: "Escape!"

The mood of the five friends, was discernibly dampened by the nightmare. Everyone but Kuki was convinced that what Wally had been dreaming was of events that had actually occurred. That he was re-living his own experiences in the terrible dream. At least in that, they were mistaken. Even Kuki only knew what he had chosen to tell her.

"I'm sorry for disturbing ya, guys", Wally sheepishly stated once they had all re-settled in the briefing room.

They all mumbled words of encouragement and sympathetic understanding, so he plunged in to what remained of the harrowing tale he had to tell. Now he would test himself, to see if he really could hide the whole truth from them without them catching on.

"So like I told ya, Father kept me in that black stone room mostly chained to the wall. I eventually learned to sleep standing up. He would talk and question me from places that I couldn't see him, only hear his voice and when he decided I wasn't cooperating, he'd send the robot in to punish me. It could only say three words and it said them at the beginning of each battle; 'Fight or Die!'. At first it was really hard, because the burns made me slow and it would win. I got really beat-up, and he'd have to send the Delightfuls in to patch me up. They didn't like it much and they were kinda rough", he paused slightly for breath.

"But after a while I got pretty good at fighting the thing, because it couldn't think on it's feet or be spontaneous. I broke it lots of times. He always came in after me when I did that and I was sure he wanted to kill me himself once or twice. I'm not sure why he didn't. Just once when I thought I was completely done for, losing badly, he called it off at the last minute. After it was gone, there was a moment of silence and then I heard him shout that I would never get mercy from him again. The fire in the center of the room flared up real hot and tall, and then went out completely. Usually he came back to make sure I was chained back up after the fights, but this time he didn't. He left me loose in the blackness, alone with just the pain of my battle injuries", Wally's haunted eyes stared past his concerned friends faces as he spoke, and he continued on without registering them at all.

Kuki choked back a sob, at the sight of his face. She could tell that talking about all this was really affecting him badly. She wished more than anything to help somehow, but she just didn't know what to do. She had realized that her pain made things worse for him, so she resolved silently to do better to hide the impact of his suffering on her. She would at least be strong for him, if nothing else.

"That battle was really bad, and I was hurting a lot. I stumbled through the dark a few steps so I could sleep with my back against the wall, so nothing could come up behind me. I slept for a long time. I don't know how long I was out, but when I opened my eyes my head hurt and my body felt hot and sore, achy. I didn't have any water, or any way to ask for any so I tried to sit up, to move around and get my mind off it. Big mistake! I managed to sit up, but when I tried to get to my feet, I felt like my chest and side were on fire. I reached down and touched the spot in the blackness, and even though I couldn't see it I knew there was blood on my hand. I had gotten used to the way it smelled. I reached back down and felt the floor where I had been lying and there was more in a warmish puddle. Not too, too much though, so I thought I would probably make it even if they didn't come to put a bandage on it."

"I laid back down then because I got really dizzy, and closed my eyes. I think I had a pretty decent sized gash, and it must have gotten kind of infected or something, 'cause for the next few days I was always seeing and hearing things that couldn't have been there. Like you, Kooks. I saw you there. You were taking care of me", he smiled sadly at her teary-eyed face as if to apologize and she mouthed an 'I love you' back.

"I was in and out for a while, but I think it must have been the Delightfuls who Father had made keep me alive. Couldn't have been anybody else, I guess. I eventually got better from the wound and the fever, so he started in on me again. The questions never seemed to stop, and every time I refused to give him what he wanted he'd make me fight that robot. Believe me, if I ever see that thing again I swear I'll blow it sky high into a million, trillion pieces with every weapon in this tree-house", he spoke with such dark angry vengeance that the others were a little startled.

"One morning toward the end, well I think it was morning, I woke up to see the DTFDTL standing in front of me. They said something about how stupid I was to try and defy Father this long, and that now I would have no choice. They pressed a remote control button that the boy in front, wasn't his name Bruce or something back when they were Sector Z?", he questioned and Nigel answered in the affirmative.

"That's what I thought. So Bruce pressed the button he was holding for them, and the wall section that I was chained to started to move. It tilted up from the bottom, so that when it stopped I was lying down on top of it like a table, still chained. There must have been some wheels or legs or something under it because I felt it start to move back away from the fire and into the hole in the wall that it made when it moved. It carried me along some kind of corridor, and when it stopped I heard a click and it raised me to my feet, tilting back up again. I saw where they had brought me then. It was the room where Father kept his Delightfulization Chamber"

"Next I heard him come in from behind me and he stomped up to stand right in my face. He said I had one final chance to give him answers and then I could go free. If I didn't do it then he'd put me in the chamber, and I would come out just like the DTFDTL did when we were all kids. He told me I'd join them willingly after that and he'd order me to help the DTFDTL to destroy the Kids Next Door and my brother would be first to go. I got really angry then and threatened him that if he ever touched Joey I'd kill him with my bare hands even if I died doing it", Wally looked truly murderous, and the others were amazed at the change in him.

"He laughed really loud at that and ordered the Delightfuls to put me in the Chamber. They pushed the button again and this time the piece of wall I was attached to moved forward toward the Chamber's opening while still in the upright position. I thought it was all over then, and I was scared", he looked at his shoes at this admission and the others felt uncomfortable, knowing he was embarrassed and not wanting to make it harder on him.

"I was sure I would never be coming home again, and it terrified me that he might finally be able to make me betray all of you and the rest of the KND after everything else he'd tried didn't work. Luckily my feet weren't chained to the stone slab behind me. I kicked out as hard as I could as it slid me through the door of the Chamber. Sparks went everywhere, and I kept kicking as hard as I could until the thing shorted out, and Father and the DTFDTL ran out of the room to escape the explosion. They left me there and when the thing blew, the impact threw me across the room to the other side into the wall. I don't remember much right after that because the concussion of the blast kind of, well, knocked me out. I came to in pile of rubble from the machine, and I couldn't hear anything for a while because my ears were ringing from the loud explosion", he paused once more leaving the rest of sector T.V. to stare at him wide-eyed waiting to hear the end of this horrific tale.

"After a while I started to be able to hear again, and I realized that the voices of the Delightfuls were carrying through the hall and into the remains of the room I was in. They hadn't come back looking to see if I had lived through the blast yet. I could hear Father's voice, but his tone was too low to make the words out clearly. They seemed to be trying to convince him to give up on getting me to help him. They said I was probably telling the truth when I said I didn't know the things he wanted me to tell him. He was arguing that much I know, but I couldn't hear exactly what he said."

"They said I was too stupid for the KND to be using me to help them as an undercover teen. That I couldn't keep a secret, and that even the KND kept true mission objectives from me when we were kids. They told him about some stuff I did in school when we were little to prove how dumb I am, like that spelling homework they stole from me that got them in trouble. If I hadn't been trapped under all the pieces of the Delightfulization Chamber, I'd have gone out there and showed them just how stupid I am that's for sure!" He exclaimed with conviction. His voice sounded tough and brave, but his friends could hear the undercurrent of fear that the things the DTFDTL had said might be true.

"I was trapped though, pinned and for a few minutes at least I wasn't sure I could get out. I managed to move one of the big pieces of debris off of my leg just enough to release the pressure that was keeping it from hurting. When I worked my foot out, I realized that the big heavy piece of metal had broken at least one bone in my ankle. It hurt like crazy, and I cut my arm trying to move it off me enough to squeeze the rest of the way free. I didn't have time to worry about the cut much, but I didn't want to leave a trail they could follow, so I tore a piece of curtain off one of the windows and tied the arm off. I used another piece to bandage it, and then I put the rest around me in case it was cold outside. Father had burned up most of my clothes, and all I had left to wear was not enough if it was cold out."

"I spent the next few minutes running as fast as I could on the swelling ankle to find a way out, and just as I heard Father yell in fury that I had escaped, I finally found an open window and climbed out. It was tough jumping down onto the ankle and I bit down hard on my tongue to keep quiet. I could taste the coppery blood in my mouth as I hobbled across the grass and into the cover of some trees not far off", he stopped and heaved a heavy sigh filled with relief that he had gotten almost through with the story.

When they had listened with rapt attention to their comrade's nearly completed narrative, the rest of Sector T.V. sat in silent reflection. They were each wondering one thing, but Hoagie's curious scientist's mind formed the question verbally first.

"How did you ever get outta there, Numbuh Four?", he was not entirely sure he really wanted to hear the answer, but they all felt the same. They _needed_ to know.

"I waited in the shadow of the trees for a while, and I leaned on one to catch my breath. I turned to look back the way I came and I saw the building I had come out of. That's when I first knew I wasn't in Cleveland because that building definitely was not the mansion. I watched the place for a couple of more minutes, wondering how I would get home, and how far it might be, and especially how I would get anywhere on the ankle that was getting bigger by the minute", he stopped and when he began again it was for the last time.

"I saw two ships take off from that building, one looked like the DTFDTL were inside, and the other must have held Father. I watched them take off in opposite directions searching for me, and I knew I had to stay put until dark. I propped my leg up against the nearest tree, and settled down to rest until after the sun had set. When I opened my eyes and looked around later, it was night-time so I picked my way carefully through the trees and went looking for a hospital where I could get my ankle at least splinted. I found the ER entrance to a hospital not too far from where I'd started and I went in to get them to look at my ankle.

"When the nurse checking me in asked how I'd managed to get so beat up, I made up some crazy story and gave her a fake name. I told her that the curtain for clothes was an answer to a dare and she actually bought it! I got my ankle splinted and was barely able to sneak out of there without paying the bill. I knew I needed some clothes to travel in, so I did something that I had never done before. I broke into a store and took these clothes. I left a note to say I'd send the money to them when I got home, and I even saved the price tags so that I would be able to send enough. I know the name of the store, but couldn't find an address on anything, so I am hoping we can run a search for the name, and get an address so I can send the money, he held the price tags out towards his friends, and Abby reached for them. He knew she would help Wally make things right with the store, and he smiled at her in thanks without pausing his speech.

"I worked my way back to Cleveland doing odd jobs to have something to eat, and hitchhiking from place to place until I finally made it back last night", he stopped and looked at the faces of his team, his friends, his closest companions and with a slight sag to his shoulders he stepped back the seat next to Numbuh Three that had gone empty for so many months. When he sat down next to her, Kuki leaned her head into his shoulder and he slid her closer to him with his arm around her shoulder.

Numbuh One rose slowly from his place, approached the podium once again, and thanking Numbuh Four for his report adjourned the meeting.

"I think we should all go to Lime Ricky's and celebrate your return Numbuh Four! What do you say team? Let's Party!", he shouted much like his battle-cry in volume, and the others whole-heartedly joined in.

The five operatives made their way to the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. and flew off into the evening sky to enjoy having finally gotten their friend back, blissfully unaware of the deadly attack being planned against them somewhere in the dark confines of a building not quite far enough away.


	14. A Hero's Welcome

Chapter 14: "A Hero's Welcome"

As the famed members of Sector T.V. stepped through the door of Lime Ricky's, all the eyes in the room turned toward them with awe. Some of the younger operatives were openly star-struck and would have requested autographs had it not been for the utter shock of seeing Numbuh Four walking in along with the others. He had not been seen or heard from in months and now here he was, just like he'd been there all along.

Suddenly the patrons, with one mind united, all rose from their seats, stopped their games and conversations to snap to attention and salute the returning hero and his team as they passed to the bar. Even Ricky himself was not unaffected by the arrival of the long-gone Wallabee Beatles. He stopped polishing the root beer glass in his hands and called for three-cheers in honor of Numbuh Four. The crowd immediately complied and three counts of 'Kids Next Door Rule!' shook the walls of the popular hangout.

Numbuh One looked at his teammates with pride, and joined in the cheers with the others. Wally however, was unused to the attention of a large group being so keenly focused on him, and he looked very carefully at the floor, inspecting it for flaws. Kuki squeezed Wally's hand, and he glanced at her appreciatively before allowing himself to smile at the extended family here welcoming him home. Once the ruckus died down and earlier activities around the room had resumed, Ricky switched the bar television back on and set a cold, foamy Root Beer in a frosty mug down in front of Numbuh Four, ice crystals on the glass sparkling in the light.

"On the house my friend, on the house", he said when Wally began rifling through his pockets for payment for the drink. He hadn't really thought about the fact that he was completely out of money. When they'd decide to go celebrate, Kuki had suggested that he might want to shower and change since he was still in his traveling clothes. Now he had no money with him at all, and he hadn't even realized.

When she had suggested a change of clothes, he had gratefully agreed, and the others set about waiting for him to finish. Numbuh Five had started Numbuh Two working on the trace for the store Wally had been forced to burgle, and upon locating it, Hoagie was quickly tapping away at his keyboard transmitting the exact amount needed for the clothing electronically, using the KND emergency fund.

Next he set about updating the store's ledger, and the local police records to eliminate all traces of Wally's activity. According to police reports, there had been no damages to the store or any of the inventory beyond the few items that had been taken. The report showed that the thief had locked the door again behind himself, and had not even left a mess inside. The reporting officer's surprise could be felt as Hoagie read the documents. After he finished, Hoagie turned to find Abby standing with her back to the room, staring out the window. Kuki had gone to her room when Wally had gone to clean up, and Nigel was in his own room working on his preliminary report for Global Command. The two were alone in the main room, but Hoagie felt as though she was infinitely farther away than the few literal feet separating them.

He stepped to her side without speaking, and when he looked to her face, there were soundless tears marring her beautiful features. Abby in tears was a thing unnatural and unacceptable to him, and he had to do something to stop the flow, to ease what ever pain had brought them from her usually reserved chestnut eyes. The first remedy that occurred to him was to encircle her in his embrace and keep her there until she felt better. Just as he was about to implement this plan she noticed him standing there next to her and flung herself into his slightly startled, but open arms.

Abby wept into Hoagie's neck with no sound at all, but the shaking of her shoulders revealed to him that she was truly very upset. He held her tightly to him, and stroked his hand down her hair and her back trying to be of comfort. At length, he could not bear the suspense of wondering what had brought her so low, so he quietly lifted her shuddering form into his arms and strode across the room to the nearest of the three couches. He was briefly shocked that she allowed him this liberty, but when he felt her lay her head in the crook of his neck, he realized that she accepted his actions and his loving care without being affronted.

Upon settling on the soft orange cushions with her still in his arms, Hoagie reached up and gently prodded her chin until she gazed sadly down into his face from her position sitting sideways across his lap. The enormity of love reflecting in his eyes brought new moisture to hers, and when he saw this he could stand no more, so he asked her the reason for her grief.

"Can't you tell me what's bothering you, Abby? I'd really like to help if I can. What ever it is, you can trust me. I'd do anything to keep you from crying ever again", he stopped shyly when she smiled at him and placed her palm on his cheek leaning her forehead against his.

"I know you would, baby. Don't worry, Abby does trust you – more than anyone. You don't see her acting like this in front of anybody else do ya?", she looked down.

"No, you never cry. That's what has me worried, Please just tell me: What is it? Why are you so sad? Wally's home now, everything's gonna be fine", he replied with as much conviction as he could convey. She smiled again and this time the expression touched her eyes.

"And when was the last time you saw Abby let anybody carry her anywhere?", her eyes twinkled a little. "Who have you ever seen be allowed to hold Abby on their lap like a little girl with a bee-sting and live to see daylight?", the old fire in her eyes was returning now and Hoagie sighed in relief.

"Well, I have never seen anyone else get away with this, so I guess that must mean I am not long for this world right?", it was Hoagie's sense of humor that had drawn her to him as a child, and she allowed herself a genuine laugh at this comment. They both knew full well that he was the only person on earth with whom she'd ever let her guard down completely.

"It's not that I don't know that things will be better now", she said dropping the third person, "it's just that I've spent months worrying about Wally, and Kuki and you, and even Nigel. I've tried to be strong and tough for everyone, but the truth is I was really scared that we'd never find him. I was afraid that we'd have to bury Kuki if things kept going like they were, and I couldn't seem to be of any comfort to you, so I just tried to be the one _not_ falling apart, the one you guys could count on.

"Now that he's home, I don't know, I guess everything just came crashing in on me all at once after he finished telling us what he went through. I guess I just needed to let it all out. I wish we could have helped him, I wish – ", she stopped then tearing up again, and the gentle eyes of the boy she loved shone with kind understanding as he cupped her face in his hands and brought her head down to place a kiss on her lips. When he'd given her as much reassurance as he could with his kiss, Hoagie spoke softly.

"I wish things had been different too, Abby. We all do, but the thing I regret most is allowing my own pain to keep me from seeing that you needed me. Ya know I didn't realize just how much Wally means to you until you smacked him with your hat today. I could see it then and I am sorry that I missed it before. If I had any idea that you were hurting this much, I hope you know I'd have picked up this tree-house with my own two hands and moved it around the world to make you happy again. I still would, just say the word", his words laden with emotion were just the tonic she needed.

"Thanks Hoagie. Thanks for lettin' me get all this out and for not makin' me feel weak for doin' it", her gratitude was evident and he hugged her close for a moment before speaking in reply, his words falling over her head tucked safely back in the crook of his shoulder.

"You never have to thank me for loving you Abigail Lincoln. I will do that until the day I die, and no one, not even you, could stop me if you tried. Just do me one favor OK?", she raised her head again and looked at him.

"What's that baby?"

"Don't ever shut me out again. Please talk to me if something's bothering you, no matter what it is, let me in so I can help", he stared into her deep chocolate colored eyes, and she could see the seriousness in his. It was profoundly moving to be so abundantly adored.

"I will from now on, I promise", with that she kissed him, pouring out all her thanks, all her love, and most of all her joy to have found her match with him. Someone she respected who respected her, and never made her prove anything. Believed in her, trusted her and protected her without making her fell like she _needed_ protecting.

All this and more she told him with her kiss and just as they drew apart a freshly washed and dressed Numbuh Four came into the room. He saw the two operatives in each others arms on the couch, but he refrained from commenting, except to grin at them happily while he knocked on Kuki's doorway to tell her they were ready to go. Just as Abby moved from Hoagie's lap to the couch beside him, Kuki came out of her room and kissed Wally on the cheek, and Nigel came in and led the way to the S.C.A.M.P.E.R.

Now as the five friends sat in the pleasant noisiness of Lime Ricky's, they all released months of worry, pain anger and fear and simply enjoyed each others company again, laughing, teasing, and relaxing together. Even Numbuh One let loose and played cards with Kuki, and and air hockey with Hoagie (the teen operatives that now frequented the place had arranged for there to be several gaming choices placed throughout), cracked jokes, and laughed heartily at the ones the others told. Numbuh Two and Numbuh Five seemed happier than he had ever seen them, and the memory of seeing them together on the couch brought a smile to Wally's face.

He had finished his root beer, and was amazed to see another appear in front of him without having to request it, or pay for it. Ricky indicated a young operative at the other end of the room, and Wally nodded his thanks. This continued throughout the evening, nearly everyone in the place wanted to buy him a drink or some nachos, or some other bar snack to welcome him home. He gradually got used to the idea of letting people be nice to him, and truly had fun for the first time since before he'd gone missing.

He watched his friends laughing, and playing darts and eating together, and the sight warmed him. He watched Kuki as she sat beside him, sparkling with life and beauty and happiness. Nothing could compare to being with these people again, nothing was more healing to his soul than the musical sound of Kuki's laughter or the vitality that had been restored to her violet eyes. This life was good, and he'd go through anything to keep it just like this, absolutely anything.


	15. Fears – Faced & Demons – Defeated?

Chapter 15: "Kuki's Fears – Faced. Wally's Demons – Defeated?"

Numbuh One drained his glass of the remaining root beer, and clunked the solid mug down onto the table with just enough force to achieve his design – getting the attention of his team. They all stopped chatting and looked his direction.

"I really don't want to be the one to break up the fun guys", he paused and they could tell he meant it.

"But you're gonna tell us it's time to go, right Numbuh One? Don't worry about it baby, Numbuh Five is getting' pretty tired herself, and Numbuh Four needs some real sleep I'm sure", she stood up from her seat and pulled a happily groggy Hoagie's elbow.

"Come on y'all. Let's get back to the tree-house before my man, here falls asleep flying us home", Numbuh Two blushed violently at her use of the phrase 'my man' and the others laughed quietly, but Abby didn't seem to notice, or else she didn't care.

Wally looked down at Kuki who had fallen asleep on his shoulder about half an hour earlier. He had been obliged to sit out any more games, but he was not really disappointed because this left him free to observe the most beautiful girl to ever be born into the world as she slept finally completely care-free. Completely unhindered he indulged himself in a minute study of her every feature. The smooth porcelain curve of her jaw, the sweet slightly turned up little nose, the lush fans of coal-toned lashes as they lay caressing the rose petal silk of her cheek. This could become a life-long occupation, just watching her sleep and he would have been content.

He had smiled when her head first nodded over onto his shoulder. He slid his arm around her and smiled wider when she instinctively snuggled closer to him. The biggest smile came though, when she had begun to dream and had whispered his name in a way that made his heart jump, his mouth dry, and his knees weak. This was a far cry from the pain filled way she'd breathed his name the night before.

As Abby and Hoagie walked out into the night air arms draped casually around each other and Nigel settled what little tab had been left for them by the generosity of the bar's other patrons, Wally ever so carefully slid his arm under Kuki's knees and lowered the other to lift her gently onto his lap so he could slide out of the booth with her and stand up. She did not stir when he did this, and he held his breath as he rose while lifting her, hoping not to disturb the first tear free sleep she'd enjoyed in a long time.

When the team members turned and watched him board the S.C.A..R. with Numbuh Three in his arms, even Numbuh One felt a sense of right, a feeling that life was finally beginning to return to the way fate had always intended. He gave Numbuh Two the order to launch, and quietly sat in his commander's chair to ride home. Once there, Wally carried the still slumbering Numbuh Three to her room, and after removing her shoes, tucked her into her bed and slipped out of the room. He paused a moment and then turned and re-entered, stepping silently to the side of the bed, and placing a tender 'good-night' kiss on Kuki's forehead. He whispered a soft 'I love you', and went out again into the main room.

Numbuh One was waiting for him, and spoke quietly as Numbuh Four exited the curtained doorway.

"I am sure you are aware that a report has to be made to Global Command, Numbuh Four", Wally nodded and motioned to Nigel to step farther from Kuki's door. They did so, and then Numbuh One continued.

"I have received communication from the Supreme Leader that instructs me to take you with me to Moon Base when the report is presented", he paused and Wally waited knowing there would be something more.

"I am not sure why they want this Numbuh Four, it's not required protocol, but Global Command has ordered that you accompany me and personally report on your experiences to them directly. I am to deliver my preliminary report as usual and after that they want you to tell your story. I told Numbuh 362 that it was a little bit soon, to make you go through all that again, but she said the Global Command will not wait. She is only one member of that body, so they often outnumber her", here he broke off as the guilt of having to make Numbuh Four relive the past again so soon washed over him. There was something else too, some small nagging voice in his head that said that there was more, still more that he did not know and that if it ever came out there would be additional pain for everyone he loved.

Wally simply agreed that he would go and talk to the commanders, and said 'good-night', seemingly unfazed. He went to his room and closed his door before collapsing on his wrestling ring bed and allowing the sweet, thoughtless blackness of sleep to overtake him. His final conscious thought was to hope that he could sleep without the nightmares tonight.

As soft shards of early morning light filtered in, Wally awoke feeling that he was not alone. He was at first disconcerted by the sensation, remembering the many times he'd awoken from sleep to feel Father watching him with undiluted cruelty in the shadows. Then he caught a faint hint of sweet almond blossom and he realized that the presence in the room with him was Kuki. He smiled before opening his eyes, and she saw the expression on his face change. Knowing now that he was awake, Kuki mischievously began to attempt to unravel him. She knew full well the effect she was having on him thanks to the scarlet flush that appeared the instant she touched his cheek despite his efforts to fool her by gluing his eyes shut. The rush of power running through her veins at the sight of him was exhilarating, and she could not resist running her hands slowly along his muscled arms, up and over his strong shoulders, and down across his broad chest the scars all exposed and bare in his sleep. He had unconsciously removed the hoodie during the night because he'd been too warm with it on. She traced the pitiful patterns of the damaged skin with her small fingers and a single tear dropped to land on his ribs.

This finally elicited part of the response she sought. Emerald orbs snapped open and flashed with fire, then when he looked at her expression and realized that he was shirtless he flew to where his hoodie had landed on the floor tore it over his head turning his back to her. Seeing his discomfort, Kuki reached out quickly and slid her small hands up under the fabric and around his middle, hugging him from behind to show that she was not put off by the scars at all. A smile locked on his lips milliseconds before the orange fabric of his hoodie was smothering her, tightly pinning her arms at her sides to punish her for the torture she had been inflicting. No other thought entered Wally's mind as he held her there motionless. He watched mesmerized as her eyes shifted from bright, shining, and brimming with playful mischief, visibly darkening as he watched until they were the deepest most pure indigo he had ever seen. She abandoned all her play in that moment and tilted her head up crashing into his mouth with her own completely and utterly making herself his. Just as the two operatives began to require the sustenance of the air around them, the morning alarm sounded – the briefing was about to begin.

"Good morning team, I hope you have all had a better night's sleep", Numbuh One looked pointedly at Numbuhs Three and Four, who both looked back at him in attempt at utter innocence and feigned ignorance as to his meaning. They failed unequivocally and turned pink in spite of themselves.

"We have a lot of ground to cover this morning, so let's get started", he proceeded to outline the previous meeting, and then made his announcement.

"I am leaving to make my report to Global Command this morning so Numbuh Five, you will assume my duties while I am away. I don't know exactly how long this will take, but I hope to be gone only a couple of days at the most. I trust that you will, as always handle everything by the book", this time he fixed his gaze on Numbuh Two, and Hoagie feeling the scrutiny looked down hoping that no one else noticed his goggles fogging from the heat of his embarrassment.

"No sweat, baby. Numbuh Five can keep these two in line for a couple of days, especially with Numbuh Three here to help", she pointed casually from Wally to Hoagie.

"I'm sure you will keep all activities running smoothly Numbuh Five, but you will be down two operatives this time, not just one. Numbuh Four has been ordered to accompany me to Moon Base, and speak for himself to the Commanders", Numbuh One was cut off by a yelp from Numbuh Three which caused the others to quickly turn toward her and inquire after her well being.

Tears in her eyes, Kuki looked abashed and mumbled something that none of the friends could catch, except Wally who was closest and had slid closer at the sound of her outcry.

"I'm sorry Numbuh Three, what did you say? What's wrong?", Numbuh One asked peering at her over his sunglasses. There was genuine concern in his voice, but Kuki still could not find hers to admit the cause of her disruption. Wally spoke for her softly, and put his arm around her as he did.

"She said she doesn't want me to leave. She's afraid I won't come back", he brushed her tears away and assured her that he would come back, that nothing on earth or off of it could keep him from coming home to her ever again.

"I am very sorry Numbuh Three, I know this is difficult after what happened. But I promise you that I won't let anything happen to Numbuh Four while we're gone. I'll stick to him and I'll make sure he gets home no matter what. You have my word", the seriousness of Nigel's tone and the genuine affection in his voice was enough for Numbuh Three to nod her head in resignation and she whispered her thanks.

After the meeting adjourned, the team wandered off to various activities throughout the tree-house. Nigel and Wally were to leave for moon base around ten AM, and they were each supposed to be preparing for the trip. Wally however was finding the task increasingly difficult as the minutes ticked on. Finally, he surrendered and went to Numbuh Three's room. He noticed Hoagie playing a video game in the main room as he passed by and he smiled at the sight of Abby sitting next to him, leaning on his side like a recliner as she read her magazine. They fit together perfectly _like Kuki fits with me _and he was glad they'd finally realized the truth. As he approached the curtained doorway he heard Kuki's small voice floating out to his ears. She was speaking to someone, quietly and she sounded very unhappy.

Without thinking Wally rushed into the room believing that someone was there and that they must have hurt or upset her somehow, his protective streak becoming dominant and taking over his thoughts. Kuki looked up in shock when he burst into the room, and stopped speaking. When he looked around the room and saw no one there, he became very confused and blinking at her he blurted;

"Who the crud were ya talkin' to in here Kooks? I know I heard you talkin, so where did they go?", he looked at her expectantly.

"Wally are you jealous?", she grinned.

"No of course not! I was just, well I was worried that someone had hurt you or something since you sounded so sad", he replied with a little indignation creeping into his voice because in actual fact there was a substantial part of him that was jealous that anybody other than him might be spending time with her alone, that she might be confiding in someone else.

"You are jealous! Oh that's sooooooo sweet!", she squealed her sadness momentarily forgotten as she threw her arms around his neck and dangled there forcing him to wrap her in his arms to hold her upright.

"I am not! I just... I just... well, maybe a little jealous", he capitulated, but quickly added; "But I was really worried that someone was here and they might have hurt you, or something", he stammered.

"No I was talking to you, silly. You see?", she looked up at him innocently while pointing to the most ratty, beat-up, pitifully well-loved Rainbow Monkey that Wally had ever seen, It was even more worn than the famous 'My First Rainbow Monkey' that Kuki had loved so had ever been. He looked at her in a way that would had led outsiders to the conclusion that she had gone quite mad, but that she realized was only his confusion at her cryptic remark. She smiled and explained.

"While you were – gone, I had this habit of talking to this one Rainbow Monkey and pretending it was you. That way I never had to really accept that you weren't here. I could talk to you anytime I wanted no matter what, sometimes I would talk to you all night long. It sounds crazy, I know, but it helped. I even named it Wally, It's orange like your hoodie, and I don't know if you remember but you – ", he interrupted suddenly remembering.

"I won that one. On your birthday, when you made me promise to go to the Rainbow Monkey Theme Park with you for your present. I wasn't gonna get you another present on top of that, but I saw that I could win a Rainbow Monkey by popping enough balloons all in a row at the dart booth. They were horrible, girly, fuzzy darts with hearts and rainbow monkey heads on them, but I popped all five balloons with my five darts and the guy in the booth said I could have any prize I wanted, so I told you to choose one. I never really understood why you picked orange when green is your favorite color, uh, until now I guess", he stammered blushing heavily.

"I love this Rainbow Monkey more than all the others, but don't tell any of them I told you that", she whispered in a conspiratorial way that made him laugh.

"I won't. So what were you and 'Wally' talking about in here anyway?", he questioned and she looked at their shoes, still looped in his comforting embrace.

"I was telling him all about how scared I am about you leaving. I know you promised to come back, but I – I just don't think I could live through losing you again. I _know_ I couldn't", she wiped a tear from her cheek and Wally kissed the spot tenderly as if to heal it of the pain that had drawn the tear down its shimmering track.

"I meant every word I said before. I'll be back in just a couple of days. Nothing will keep us apart again, I promised you that and I never break my promises. Not ever", there was such complete conviction in his voice and his eyes that Kuki finally was able to trust that he would return. She relaxed at last, and laid her head on his chest while he softly stroked her obsidian head. When the moment had passed, she looked up and asked him her own question.

"Why did you come to my room anyway Wally? I don't think you knew when you first came that I was sad, so what was it?"

"I came to ask you if you'd help me finish packing for the trip to Moon Base. I didn't go up there much even before, and I don't want to forget anything. Besides, I'd like to spend time with you before I leave", he trailed off as his voice failed. Looking into her eyes as though they alone possessed the key to his existence, he placed a feather soft, sweet kiss upon her lips. She smiled up at him then and taking his hand she led him out of her room down the hall to his room to get him ready to go.

As Kuki deftly arranged Wally's things, he sat on the edge of his bed watching her with no little amazement. How she seemed to know exactly where everything he owned was without asking him, was a mystery. Not to mention the way she swiftly and surely selected items, and straightened-up the room as she went. The mess he had made in his previous efforts to accomplish this same task, was being erased before his astonished eyes, and to top it all, she floated around the room humming and singing softly to herself. It was the most lovely thing he had ever seen, her mood so peaceful and happy and her movements so full of grace. After she had finished the packing, she came over and quietly sat beside him, interlacing their fingers as she did.

"How did you do that?", he asked smiling as he looked around his room.

"Do what?"

"That. You just knew where everything was and you just, wow", he stopped at a loss and rotated his head to stare at her. When she met his eyes, he was surprised to see a flicker of sadness and a trace of something that looked like guilt clouding them.

"What's wrong Kooks?"

"I'm sorry Wally. I suppose I should have told you that I had been spending a lot of time in here while you were – away. I swear I never touched your things! I just came in here and looked around. I looked at everything over and over. I think I was trying to get closer to you, and I sort of memorized the room and everything in it I guess. Silly huh? I mean it's not like your stuff could bring you home, but I – ", she was halted when he reached up and lightly cupped her cheek.

"That's always been my biggest fear you know. Being away from you, not being there to protect you if someone tried to hurt you, not being able to help you if you need me. Nothing scares me more than that. Well, except that someday you might not love me anymore", he felt himself tear-up but he didn't look away. He wanted her to know just how much every word he'd said meant. Though she did not know all the reasons he was loath to leave her, he wanted her to know how he felt.

"I will always love you, Wally. I will. I always have, sometimes I get the feeling that I loved you from the minute I was born. I know that doesn't make sense, but it's how I feel", she stopped and turned to the door suddenly as Numbuh One came through it.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but it's time to go Numbuh Four", he looked at the two sitting together and wished he could let them stay together, knowing full well he couldn't. The others were needed here to carry out any missions or orders that came in while he and Wally were at Moon Base. Wally silently stood, and fighting the pull of every cell in his body in the opposite direction he walked away from Kuki and out the door with Numbuh One, not daring to look back for fear that he'd be unable to go if he saw her face.

Just as suddenly as if she'd been prodded with an electric shock, Kuki sprang up and ran after him, calling his name. She grabbed the backpack she had filled for him off the bed, and upon catching up she held it out to him, her breath coming in little puffs from running. Once he had placed it upon his back she wrapped her arms around his torso, and keeping her head down so he could not see her tears, she hugged him tightly and whispered an 'I love you' into the warm softness of his hoodie.

Wally struggled with his own fears silently as he held her. There was a sense of dread building in his chest that seemed to beat out a warning that if he left her now he would never see her again. Pushing the dark thoughts aside, he kissed the top of her head, and with lightening speed he whipped the backpack off again, and slung it down next to his feet. She stepped back confused and teary, but silent. She watched as he swiftly removed his trademark sweat-shirt, and was shocked to feel him lowering it down over her own head.

The scent of him washed over her as the fabric brushed her face, and she breathed deeply of its intoxicating aroma, eyes closed. Then she looked at him with concern.

"What about you? Space is cold Wally, you need this", she tugged upward on the hem, but he stilled her gently.

"I'll sleep better knowing you have it to keep you warm. Don't worry, I'll be back soon. I love you", he turned and jogged up the ramp into the shuttle that Numbuh One would pilot them to the moon in. he turned as the ramp lifted shut and his eyes locked with hers until they could no longer see each other. Walking away from her was the hardest thing he had ever done, and the most frightening. He had fought the demons of his memories, and his insecurities and defeated them.

Kuki stood for along time riveted to the spot watching the sky where the ship had been. She clung to the remnants of Wally's warmth that still emanated from the cottony softness around her. Letting him go had been the worst of her fears, the one theme of her nightmares, watching him fade out of her sight, and maybe never seeing him return to her. The terror of it threatened to overwhelm her senses, but she had held on. She had faced her fears and had not let him down, she had won.


	16. The Remaining Truths Revealed – to One

Chapter 16: "The Remaining Truths Revealed – to One"

A few minutes into the flight, Numbuh One glanced over his shoulder at Numbuh Four sitting in his station as usual. He looked grim and his mouth was drawn tight in a near-white line. It was clear that he was struggling with something within himself. Silently Nigel, switched the shuttle to auto-pilot and swiveled his chair around to face his friend. Numbuh Four did not immediately register the movement and his eyes were startled when he heard his commander's voice. The green orbs looked like the ocean in the moments before a big storm, clam and smooth on the surface, but their depths were churning with the mighty unrest of a maelstrom.

"I am sorry to have had to separate the two of you, Wally", the uncommon use of his first name by Numbuh One was the reason for most of Wally's shock.

"It was the last thing I wanted to do, believe me. She has been through enough searching for you, waiting for you, grieving for you, and if had been left to me I would have either left you there at the tree-house, or brought the whole team along. But the orders were very specific in that the other three members of Sector T.V. remain behind", he stated these facts with his usual serious demeanor, but trances of his genuine feelings for the pain his friends had all been through could be heard too. When Wally made no initial reply to his words, Nigel opted to continue with conversation hoping to gather answers to his remaining questions as to the events of Wally's captivity.

"As I said, I am sorry. But forgive me Wally, that's not all there is to this is it? There is more that you haven't shared with us isn't there?", he looked directly into the other boy's eyes and did not miss the flash of terror that flickered there before Wally dropped his defensive walls back into place and hid the truth from view.

Too late though, as Nigel had already seen his answer and he made it clear in his expression that no alterations to the reality of what had transpired would be accepted now. Wally tried unsuccessfully to hedge, making a show of doing a systems check. He tried valiantly to avoid any eye contact with his leader as he ran down the whole ship nose to tail fin and rattled off the results of the tests as he did so. Finally, Numbuh One stepped in as the last test finished with a 'Go' result as all the others had.

"Wally, you know that I completed pre-flight protocol myself and Hoagie being Hoagie, he was here before I was doing his own series of checks just to make sure that everything was in top working order. There is no need for another systems check, so stop trying to avoid my question and just tell me the truth. I think it will help you to let the rest of it go, instead of keeping it bottled up", he finished with a gentleness in his tone that made Wally aware almost for the first time, that Nigel was just as concerned for his well being as he was for the rest of the team.

Telling him the whole truth would be very, very hard but Wally owed him honesty at least. Maybe someday the stoic Brit would be able to forgive him for what he was about to say. Maybe. Wally hoped with all his heart that he would, because the Sector would never be the same if this information drove Nigel away again, perhaps for good this time. The risk was so great, but Nigel's eyes conveyed that he would not let this rest until he had heard it all and Wally was too tired of hiding to keep avoiding the truth anyway.

He took a deep breath and looking squarely into Nigel's eyes he began to fill in the blanks in the story he had told the team before. The first words out of his mouth shook the listening sector commander to his very soul, and Wally felt immense guilt descend on him at seeing the hurt in Nigel's steel-gray eyes.

"It was about you. He wanted me to give you up to him. Father was trying to get to you through me", Wally stopped crestfallen and waited while the knife sunk into the heart of this ally, the closest thing Wally had to a hero.

He felt as though he had physically cut him open, could almost see the blood from the emotional wound as though it were a fleshly one. His guilt compounded by the second. Finally he looked up, and saw that Nigel gazed back at him with nothing but admiration, gratitude and something akin to familial fondness. It was the love of a brother, like solders in the same unit develop after serving together through harrowing battles. Wally felt a fresh wave of guilt pass over him, but this time it was because he now realized that he should have known that Nigel would not blame him for Father's actions, he was a true and loyal friend.

"Apparently he hadn't ever really seen you since you came back from the GKND. I don't know how he never saw us all together, I mean we did spend a lot of time at the Arctic Training Base at first, but still we've been on lots of missions and I don't see ...", he stopped at a sudden interruption from Nigel.

"He's been away Numbuh Four. My dad told me he and the Delightfuls would be gone indefinitely. He said he didn't know why or where they were going, but that must be why he never caught up with me. I never realized what danger I was leaving you guys in when I left back then. He could have come after you all, and I wasn't here to help. I didn't realize he hated me that much. He's my uncle you know", he looked down ashamed.

"I know, and I'm sorry to tell you but he has spent the last six or seven years building up hatred for you. It's been going ever since the Scavenger Hunt and it's like an obsession now, I don't know if he'll ever stop. He'll probably come after me because I escaped, even though he's not sure I know where you are. I'm only worried that he might attack the tree-house while we're gone", Wally thought again of Kuki and his stomach tightened. Seeing his comrade's anxiety, Numbuh One acted instantly to help allay the blond combat specialist's fears for the safety of their teammates at home.

"I will transmit a message to Numbuh Five ordering a Code L-62 effective immediately and continuously until the two of us return. They won't like it too well, but at least they'll be safe", he turned back toward his console and started the transmission.

"I'll radio Moon Base to send three Decoy Operatives down from the Espionage/Recon Unit to take their places at school, OK Numbuh One?", Wally asked falling right into step with his leader's plan.

"Affirmative, Numbuh Four. I am also hacking into their parents email accounts to send messages that will deter any of them from coming around looking for the three. There that should do it. Now, where were we?", he turned again after finishing with all the messaging and looked expectantly at a morose Numbuh Four.

"I was just telling you that Father's motive for holding me was really to get information that would lead him to you. I swear though, Numbuh One I never told him anything!", Wally was suddenly very agitated and Nigel had to assure him twice that he believed that Wally had never betrayed him to Father before Wally could continue.

"You know how I told you guys that he kept asking me questions over and over? Well that was what most of the questions were. When I wouldn't answer him... well you already know how that went. Once he threatened to kill me and move on to the rest of the team one by one and I kinda panicked then. I pretended to sort of give in and hinted that I really did know something.

"I told him that the rest of the team had given up on tracking you down, but that I hadn't and I made it sound like I had come across some kind of clue that only I knew about. I couldn't let him get to the rest of you, not if it would be anything like what he was doing to me. Anyway, I let him think I really did know more than I was saying to keep him focused on me and away from you guys. Just think what would have happened if he'd caught Abby, or Kuki?", he shuddered visibly at the thought and Nigel looked pale too.

"He must have believed me, because he stayed and kept after me, so I took that to be a good sign that the rest of you'd be safe. Since the fights with the robot alone weren't making me talk to him, he decided to try a different type of torture. You remember telling us about how he could project fake images of himself right? Well he did that to me only he somehow made himself look and sound like people I knew. I don't – ", Nigel cut him off again in horror.

"Hoagie told me that his brother Tommy and a couple of other recruits witnessed him doing that as a diversion to empty the ATB of all operatives back when the code module used to be housed there! We were sure it had been an equipment malfunction that had caused the false transmission. None of us took their story seriously, we just couldn't believe that Father could actually do that", he sounded thunderstruck.

"Yeah, well I'm here to tell ya that he can. He always came to me as one of you after one of the robot fights, I guess he thought I'd be weaker then. First he tried being Hoagie, then Abby, then you, and finally he impersonated Kuki. It was awful. When he was Hoagie he said that you had sent an urgent call for assistance to the sector, but that you would only give the co-ordinates that we needed to get to, to me and only if I could prove I knew how to get there. Father/Hoagie said that in order to do that I had to confirm your current location, so that you'd know I was still loyal to the KND.

"Then when that didn't work, he tried again this time as Abby. He told me in her voice, not to bother coming home at all, because everyone was happier without me there, and that missions were more successful because I wasn't around being stupid and ruining them. Father/Abby said that she was glad not to have to help me with my homework any more because she had better things to do. He/She tried to provoke me into telling what I knew about you by saying that I was probably too dumb to remember where you were anyhow. I was really hurt by that one, I admit, but I knew somewhere deep down that Abby would never be so cruel.

"When he tried to be like you it was a little different because obviously you wouldn't ask me where you were now would you? So, to get around that he pretended to be you sending me a transmission ordering me to tell Numbuh 362 where you'd gone so she could get in touch with you. He used two of his 'clones' for that part, one as you and one as her. He/You got so angry when I wouldn't follow the orders, he/you threatened to have me decommissioned. I think what gave that one away for me was that I know that if you'd wanted to contact Numbuh 362, you could have done it and told her yourself where you were if she needed to come.

"Cruddy villain, just kept playing his mind games one after the other. The last impression was of Kuki and it started when I was sick with that fever I told ya about. She was there in my head taking care of me, but it wasn't her, not really. I would see her one minute, then blink and it would be the DTFDTL. I think that was more from the fever than anything, but he saw the effect seeing her had on me so he used her next to get to me.

"Only difference this time was that he didn't talk to me in her voice right away. He just acted out scenes of her living her life during the time I was captured. He showed me her crying after I disappeared, he showed me her sad and depressed but then someone was there to cheer her up. It was Ace, he was flirting with Kuki and he finally made her laugh. Her laughter echoed all around that stone room, it's sparkly like music, clear and fresh. It usually makes me happy when I hear it, but seeing her with Ace and him so close to her making her laugh, making her forget about me made me sick. Father spoke in her voice then and said it was not too late yet to stop what he was showing me. All I had to do was tell him what he wanted to know, and I'd go free to get to Kuki before I lost her forever to Ace.

"I spat back that nothing he could show me would make me tell him anything, and his 'clones' changed while I watched. They were still Kuki and Ace, but they were on a date. He had his arm around her and she was smiling and looking up at him. She looked happy, and my heart broke because getting back to her was the one thing I had been holding onto all that time. Now it looked like she'd just forgotten all about me and fallen for Ace. He kissed her and then the image changed again. This time they were together in the tree-house, _in my room_. They were making out on my bed and things went pretty far before I lost it and started screaming. I don't remember much after that, I know I threw up.

"I actually considered giving up after that, but he tried one last time to break me by showing me Kuki with Ace again. This time she was not happy with him, he was hitting her and she fell on the floor crying. I tried to reach her even though my head knew she wasn't there, and just when I touched her she vanished with a puff of smoke. Images flashed very fast in front of me then, 'clone' after 'clone' was Kuki, in the hospital bruised and battered, back at the tree-house house in my room with Ace doing what ever he wanted to her just so he wouldn't hit her again. She cried though it all. Then I saw the most horrific one of all, it was Kuki sitting in her bathroom at the tree-house.

"She was sitting in the tub with all her clothes still on, and there were more bruises on her face. She was writing something on a piece of that pink Rainbow Monkey paper she likes so much. After she finished writing she put the page over on the floor beside the tub. Then she pulled up her sleeves and I could see more bruises on both arms, black and yellow ugly marks on her soft, gentle arms. Then she took a knife from somewhere, and she... and she...", he stopped body shaking with sobs and bitter tears he was not conscious of shedding. Nigel reached out and put a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder.

"It's OK Numbuh Four, you don't have to go on any further. I understand what you saw. I'm so very sorry that you had to go through all that on top of everything else. I feel like all of it is my fault because Father hates me so much. He has to be stopped! I swear it, if I have to die trying I will never let him hurt any of the people I love because of me again!", Nigel stopped his oath abruptly as the ship's alarm sounded telling them that they were nearing Moon Base.

Wally sighed heavily and closed his eyes through the landing, now very tired from the emotional re-living of the worst parts of his captivity. He wished silently that they could just turn back and he could go home and go to sleep. Kuki was there and she was alive, safe and happy now, and all he wanted was to go back there to her side and never leave.

Nigel had switched to manual control for the landing cycle because it was actually safer to land the shuttle himself rather then to rely entirely on the computer. Once they were safely landed in the docking bay, he rose from his seat, and placing an encouraging hand on Wally's arm disembarked the ship and led the way to the Global Command Meeting Room where the two of them would each make their reports.

Wally opened his bleary eyes at Nigel's touch, and nodded with a thankful expression on his face. He rose and followed his leader, backpack on, now wearing the spare orange hoodie that Kuki had packed him. He had gratefully put it on not long into the flight as the temperature began to drop. He stepped with determination just behind Numbuh One, and tried not to hear the whispered voices of the young operatives as they passed each entry check point. He knew that they had heard of him, but unlike the night before at Lime Ricky's these hushed voices seemed to be laced with fear, and plenty of judgment. Telling himself that he was being ridiculous, he kept his head up, and did not slow his pace until they had reached the door to the meeting room.

He watched as Nigel strode inside with the file under his arm and he wondered vaguely how long it would be before his turn came. He stepped to a low bench along the wall opposite the door and sat down to wait, closing his eyes again and allowing his mind to drift – her face came to him. Peaceful, serene, and beautiful she soothed his tortured soul with nothing more than her image and he thanked her silently, smiling as his head rested on the wall behind him.


	17. A Report to Global Command

Chapter 17: "A Report to Global Command"

Numbuh One stood in an 'at ease' posture, hands behind him, facing the panel of seven Commanding Operatives waiting for them to respond to his report on the disappearance, search for, and eventual reappearance of Numbuh Four. He waited patiently as they each reviewed their copies of the report itself. He had delivered it orally, as per protocol, but as a professional courtesy he had provided each member of the committee a print-out for reference. Each of them sat now engrossed in the finer points and details, seemingly oblivious to his continued presence.

One operative was chosen from each continent to serve as the Global Command for all KND organizational needs. This of course, with the exception of Antarctica with no population at all. Instead the decision was made to have the current acting commander of the KND Arctic Training Base serve as the seventh member. Having seven members, the committee never had to resolve issues of split decision when it came to a vote. The ATB commander provided a built-in tie breaker.

This arrangement currently gave Nigel a slightly different point of view of the panel from the others who had to report in this manner. Rachel McKenzie had been appointed the North American representative, and Patton Drilovsky, as ATB Commander was also present, so he knew two of the seven members quite well. This really only helped him to anticipate their opinions and what their votes might be on a given issue, because the KND was as a whole a welcoming and inclusive place, so the others on the Global Command Committee were also counted as 'friends' even though Nigel did not know any of them personally. They are KND and for him that was more than enough.

Despite the fact that the majority of the top command positions had gradually been given over to the Teen Level Ops to allow them to use the years of KND experience they had under their belts to maximum organizational advantage, the five other operatives on the Global Command Committee were Kid Level Ops and had been chosen by the collective sector leadership of their respective continents. There was one observer present in the room, who was equally well known to Nigel and while he did not have a vote, who could be quite influential if he so desired.

Chad Dickson, Numbuh 274 stood by to watch proceedings at this level and whose assignment it was to report back to Galactic High Command with his findings. Yes Chad had finally achieved his dream of joining the Galactic Kids Next Door only about a year after Nigel Uno had been recruited. He was finally rewarded for his long term loyalty and largely thankless work as a forerunner KND Teen Spy. He had been appointed Liaison to the Moon Base after about six months with the GKND, and Nigel had watched the appointment with the other operatives in the gallery of the auditorium at the Galactic Base. After the ceremony, Nigel had approached his former mentor with some trepidation intent on mending fences between them once and for all. Before he had a chance to open conversation, Chad saw him coming and spoke first.

"Numbuh One, I'm glad you're here. I've wanted to apologize to you for a long time. I never should have been angry when you were recruited here. I should have been proud – I am proud. I was jealous and stupid and I'm sorry", the older boy looked down and waited for a reply, resolved to accept whatever form it took, even if no forgiveness ever came.

"No apology is necessary Numbuh 274, I made mistakes too. I could have figured out that you were undercover if I'd looked hard enough, but I was too blinded by my feelings of personal betrayal to see. I should have known you'd never turn your back on the KND. You helped make it what it is today and I'm sorry I didn't have more faith in you", Nigel responded with sincerity and Chad looked at him with gratitude.

"So, friends?", Chad extended his hand in truce and Nigel took it warmly.

"Friends", he smiled and shook hands glad to have the boy he'd looked up to as a kid back in his life. As some other operatives approached to offer their praises and commendation to Numbuh 274, Nigel stepped away. As he did so, he turned and with a smile saluted his friend and called over his shoulder.

"Oh, and Congratulations Mister Ambassador 274, sir!", he watched as Numbuh 274 returned the gesture and then began talking animatedly with the group around him.

Nigel wondered now about what Chad's take on everything that he'd relayed to the group was. He was just thinking about taking a few minutes to ask him before heading back to sector T.V., when Numbuh 362's voice startled him back to the moment at hand.

"Thank you for the thoroughness of your report Numbuh One. The Committee thanks you once again for you service, and we would ask that you inform Numbuh Four that we will take a one hour recess and then reconvene to hear his account", she stopped and rose from her seat. Nigel saluted the panel, and waited for the official dismissal then exited the room.

He thought there had been something in his old friend's voice, something that just didn't feel right. He would have to ask her about it, because his instincts were good and they were telling him that something about all this was not. The panel usually took time to ask follow-up questions or at least to make comments on a report, but this had been so different. More like a judicial hearing than a standard debriefing. That thought alarmed him greatly, and he worried about what might happen to Numbuh Four when the break was over and he was called in.

As he approached the long missing operative sitting on the long bench outside the door with his head back and eyes closed, Nigel took in the sight with compassion. Wally looked so tired, and old. It was glaring that he'd suffered more than such a young person should. Once again the guilt began to overtake his mind. He still felt to blame, Father is his uncle. It was Nigel Father had wanted, not Wally, but instead of protecting his team like a good leader, he had watch helplessly as they'd been crippled by the pain and loneliness of losing their friend. He had not been good enough at his job to locate Numbuh Four in time to save him from the torture, and he still suffered from it even now.

Just before Nigel reached his side, Numbuh Four stirred, raised his head, and met his friend's eyes grimly. Seemingly clairvoyant, he read Numbuh One's expression with close to perfection.

"No matter what they said in there Numbuh One, this wasn't your fault. It wasn't. I don't blame you for any of it, and neither should they. I'll tell 'em so when I get in there too, I suppose they're ready for me now right?', he asked as he stood and actually stepped forward towards the door before Numbuh One reached out and halted his progress with a hand on his arm.

"No they aren't ready to hear from you yet. A recess has been called for an hour, I think so they can go over my report more thoroughly, and you are to go in after that. I don't understand this Numbuh Four, it's not the usual protocol. None of it is, and I have to be honest with you I'm worried. If you don't mind I'd like to look into it a little bit while we have some time, will you be all right on your own for a while? I'll be back by the time they dismiss you, if not sooner", Nigel looked at Wally, who regarded him openly with confidence and admiration that Nigel felt completely unworthy to receive.

"Sure I'll be OK, Numbuh One. I think I'll go to the communications deck and put a call in to the tree-house, just to say 'hi'", he smiled a little and Nigel could see that he was hoping to talk to Kuki.

"Of course you'll be fine, and Numbuh Four?", Nigel watched him turn back towards him as he'd already started down the corridor.

"Thanks. Thanks for what you said before, I am grateful to know that you don't hold me responsible for what you've been through. Oh, and Wally – I didn't tell them the things you told my on the flight here. I thought you'd want to decide that for yourself, and besides I would have had to re-write the report to add it all in", He looked at Wally with concern in his face.

"OK, thanks Numbuh One. I appreciate you keeping the rest of it to yourself. I never wanted any of you to know, I didn't want you to be hurt", he turned and proceeded down the hall without another word. Before Nigel could say anything more, he was gone.

Numbuh One could think of only one person who might have the answers he needed, and he turned on his heel and marched quickly in the other direction to make an effort to get them before the hour was up and whatever was going on here went any further.

As he reached his destination, his senses began to prickle that he wasn't going to like the answers he sought, but even so he knew without a doubt that he had to get them. He entered his pass code and stepped into the office on the other side.

"I need to speak to him immediately, and before you say anything, it cannot wait, no matter what", he looked at the young operative's intimidated face and softened his, only a little for he remembered how it felt to have superior officer demand something of you as a rookie.

"Yes sir, Numbuh One sir!", the boy who looked about 9 years old snapped to quickly and buzzed Nigel into the inner office with a salute.

Numbuh One moved past him without a second look, and closed the door behind himself. He cleared his throat upon entering as the operative in whose office he stood had not turned from the window he was looking out of. When he still remained motionless even at the sound, Numbuh One decided to press on without visual contact.

"I think you can guess why I'm here. I need to ask for your help with whatever is going on with the inquiry into Numbuh Four's disappearance. We both know there is something not right about this, and I know you are the only one who can give me answers", he stopped hoping for a reply, but when nothing was forthcoming he tried again.

"You aren't going to deny that what happened in that room was completely unusual, and actually breached protocol in several ways are you?", again he paused and this time the operative who had yet to face him spoke, still statuesque.

"No Numbuh One, I won't deny it. But I can't tell you what you want to hear either. I don't have any answers for you", Nigel thought he perceived a sagging in the other boy's shoulders, but he may have been imagining things.

"I don't mean any disrespect but I don't believe you. You know there is something wrong here, why won't you tell me what it is? I need your help!", Numbuh One hadn't intended to raise his voice, but this cryptic behavior was getting to him. He reigned himself in and tried again.

"I'm not asking you to compromise yourself, just tell me where I should start and I won't ask you to do anything else", suddenly the other boy whirled around and faced him anger marring his handsome face.

"You think that I know what's happening here? Well, I don't. You're right about that meeting today, there is something else behind all this, but I don't know what it is. You can keep asking all day, and it still doesn't change the truth – I can't answer your questions!", he was shouting now.

"Can't or won't?", Nigel asked softly, watching his comrade's eyes closely.

"I can't tell you what I don't know! I can't help you Numbuh One, so just go will you? I would help you if I could, but I can't so just – just go", the boy had lost most of the steam behind his anger, and Nigel could see the genuine regret in his face at not being able to help his friend.

"There is one way you can help me, you know there is", Nigel stopped. The other boy realizing where this was headed cut him off.

"Don't do that. Don't ask me to do that, I can't", he sounded firm, but Nigel thought it was worth a push.

"I wouldn't ask you if I wasn't sure this was life and death important, you know that", he waited knowing that his friend would speak again.

"I can't cross that line Nigel. She doesn't deserve that. I can't ask her to choose between me and the KND, you know that would be cruel. I'd never ask you to do that to someone you loved, friends or not", he looked down.

"You're right. She doesn't deserve being put in this position, neither do you, but if she's being manipulated she deserves to know and Numbuh Four surely doesn't deserve to suffer any more than he has already, does he?"

"No he doesn't. I just, I just can't ask her to do this Nigel. I can't. I'm really sorry", he turned his back to Numbuh One again and looked out his window at the earth below.

He had ended the conversation, and it was clear to Nigel that his precious time had been wasted here. He buried his disappointment deep down, and walked out the door without speaking again. Even without the help of his fellow officers, Numbuh One was determined to unravel this mystery now matter the cost to himself, no matter how long he had to look. He had failed his friends one too many times, and he swore he'd never do it again. Even if it took until the day he was decommissioned, he'd get to the truth and expose it, and nothing would stop him – nothing.

**PREVIEW**: Next Chapter title - "Unexpected Allies, & Unmasked Conspiracies"


	18. Unexpected Allies & Conspiracies

Chapter 18: "Unexpected Allies, & Unmasked Conspiracies"

The nearly eighteen year old girl who slipped silently into her quarters leaned heavily against the door for a moment gathering her strength. It had been a rough morning, and the work was just starting for her. The few minutes afforded her by the unusual recess to the meeting she'd been chairwoman of this morning gave her the unscheduled freedom to come and sit quietly for a while. Rachel could still see the confusion in her friend Nigel's eyes when she'd given him the committee's decision to recess. He didn't understand what they were doing, and she knew it.

Truthfully, she didn't understand all the changes to procedure that had been implemented in this case. It seemed straightforward enough to her, and she knew Numbuh One well enough to know he'd never lie to them, or to her. He was too loyal to the KND for that. Numbuh Four didn't seem to have any real motive for falsifying information either, so why the commanders were insisting on hearing from him instead of just filing the report from the sector leader as usual, was beyond her. So was the reason why any of them needed to pick apart that report. Wearily she plopped it down on her desk and sat down on her couch, pulled the soft turquoise blanket she kept there for reflective moments like this around her and tucked her feet under her. She was so deep in thought, that she never heard the door open or the computer sensor beep to indicate an entrant.

He stood quietly in the doorway of her room looking at her with sympathetic, loving eyes as she sat curled up on the couch facing the window. He knew that today's meeting had been tough on her, because the operatives involved were her friends not just her subordinates. Ever since she'd agreed to take over as Supreme Leader again when Numbuh Five had stepped down, Rachel had been working tirelessly to keep the KND running and true to it's mission. She was a dedicated and talented leader and that was only part of what he had fallen in love with.

The first time he had noticed her was when she had served in his sector as a Cadet Shadow to one of his teammates, and he was impressed by her quick reflexes in combat simulations and unmatched skill at negotiation and diplomacy. She could talk anyone down from argument, and usually managed to arrive at a solution that was good for the whole sector. Even at 6 years old, she was already a leader. When he'd been promoted a couple of months later, he had selected her to come with him to Moon Base, and left the sector in the charge of his second in command. He was eight years old then and the youngest Supreme Leader in the history of the Kids Next Door.

Chad was the rising star then, and she readily agreed to follow him. When the opportunity came five years later to move up again to the then newly created role of undercover Teen Spy, he'd been thrilled at the chance, but he'd hated the hurt and disappointment in her eyes when she'd thought he had betrayed all they had built. It was then that he'd begun to realize that he loved her, but the circumstances had precluded him from saying anything, because doing so could risk blowing his cover. After his status became known at the failed Kid/Teen Treaty signing, he'd thought of trying to approach her, but then he had been ordered to go with Numbuh Infinity and his assignment was changed. He'd been partnered with Maurice on a couple of top secret missions, and they were gone for a long time.

He waited another two years for her to be promoted to Teen Level, and when she had been, he finally was able to come and talk to her. At first she was understandably angry, and had yelled at him quite a bit for making her think he'd turned traitor. She went on like that for several minutes pacing and shouting and then when she'd used up all her anger, the hurt started to flow from her and she'd stubbornly turned her back on him to hide her tears. Now four years later, one of them spent as her boyfriend, he still remembered that hot-headed, fierce, brown-eyed blond girl who was too proud to let him see her cry. He had walked up behind her then, and turned her around to face him and boldly given her what he thought she needed. Her first kiss.

She had punched him in the eye and blackened it in reply, but later had come to see him and apologized. He had done the same and the two agreed to try and re-build their friendship and the broken trust she needed in him before making any attempt at a deeper relationship. He knew she'd felt the emotion in his kiss, and he'd felt her respond in spite herself, but he also respected that she needed time to recover from the reaction she'd had to his counterfeit betrayal, so he'd waited. When she was sixteen, and finally ready to move forward she had been the one to approach him. They'd shared their first kiss in three years then and he stood in the moonlight with her in this very room and holding her in his arms, he felt that at last his life was headed in the right direction.

Looking at her now, sad and confused and a little lonely, his heart pained him, and he nearly turned and left again without saying anything to her about why he'd come. Just in time, Rachel's head turned and she arrested his retreat with her voice, soft and tired.

"Hi, when did you get here? I didn't even hear the door", she shook her head and reached toward him.

"Come sit with me, please?"

He couldn't refuse her anything, of course and he warmly enclosed her in his arms, lending her the strength she'd forgotten that she already possessed. She curled into him closer and closed her eyes as her head came to rest on his chest. The moment lasted as long as it could, and his deep voice reverberated through her skull as he spoke.

"Nigel came to see me a few minutes ago."

"MmmHmm"

"Do you want to hear what he had to say?"

"I suppose so, if we can't just sit here quietly."

"I'm sorry, you know I like to sit here like this with you too, but Nigel was really upset. I actually refused to help him, so he doesn't know I' m here but..."

"Why would you refuse to help a friend Chad?", she looked up at him now and his thoughts were momentarily clouded by the beauty of her face.

Before he answered her question, he leaned down and kissed her tenderly. His arms holding her clasped to him, and his hands a pillow for her head. She kissed him back soundly, and ran her fingers through his blond hair as she did. Never tiring of the feel of her in his embrace, he continued to kiss her eyes, her cheeks, chin, nose and neck before he move back to her mouth once more. Breathlessly, she pulled back and asked her question a second time, sitting up so she could think more clearly. He kept his arm draped around her, though and she smiled at him.

"Why did you say no to helping Nigel?", she turned to face him with one knee bent and her foot under her, the other draped off the couch now, her socked toes curling into the carpet.

"I couldn't just agree to do something that might hurt you. I would never deliberately hurt you or put you at risk", he looked at her so somberly that she shivered wondering what Nigel had asked. He tightened his arm around her, and she sat now facing forward with both feet on the floor in front of her waiting for him to explain.

"He's suspicious that there is something more going on behind the scenes with this thing with Numbuh Four's return. I have to admit I am too, but I told him that I'd never ask you to risk your position in the KND over this. I won't ask you to do that. I am his friend though, so I couldn't leave it alone completely like I wanted to. I want you to decide what you want to do on your own though, because if he's right this could be something really big. If I'm right, then it could go all the way to the top and exposing the truth could cost us all our careers with the KND. Now I only have one year left, but you still have almost three more and you could do so much with that time, that I'd hate to see you loose everything you've worked for if Nigel and I happen to be wrong", he finally stopped for breath and looked at her trying to gauge her response.

"It doesn't matter if you're wrong, and I don't think you are, if I do try to look into this, then it will be my decision and any consequences will be mine to deal with too. I don't want you or Nigel for that matter feeling guilty later if I get demoted, or decommissioned, or anything. I know you both, and I know you'd get it into your heads that anything bad that happened to me was all your fault, and I'm telling you right now if you thought that you'd be wrong", she had gotten very vehement by the end of this little speech and Chad could not resist giving her a mock salute.

"Yes ma'am", he laughed, and she lightly punched his arm and laughed too. When they'd both regained control, she continued.

"Don't misunderstand me Chad, I love you, and I'd do anything you asked of me, but my actions are my own, no matter who asks me to do something. I would never hold you responsible for my decisions good or bad", she looked into the hazel eyes of her boyfriend and felt that she could stare into them forever. Just when she was considering kissing him, her communicator chirped to life and she was summoned once again to the meeting room to finish with hearing Numbuh Four's version of events surrounding his disappearance.

Seconds after she had replied to the operative on her communicator, Chad's went off and he did the same. The couple rose from their places and headed down the hall together hand in hand, to see what Numbuh Four had to say, and mentally preparing to face whatever secrets they might find. They were each now fully resolved to investigate the truth surrounding the whole series of events, and they would each help Nigel in his efforts to do the same. After the meeting, Rachel said that they should find him and tell him, and Chad readily agreed to her plan.


	19. Nigel Gets Another Shock

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

**I didn't have notes for this chapter... until I posted the last one and found out the hard way how badly people dislike Rachel with anyone who isn't Nigel.**

**I was afraid there would be back-lash on that one, so I had one of my most trusted mentors here read these two chapters before they made it to the site. That's what I have been waiting for, for any who have been following along. She gave them the thumbs up, so here goes...  
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**I won't say that I am a huge fan of either 1/362 OR 274/362, but I have a few reasons which I feel will bear themselves out for going in the direction that I have. For those who have been disappointed, please understand that I regret that you are but know too that I must follow where the story takes me. Please don't jump ship now, I really appreciate the loyal readers who have been following this piece so far. I am hoping that you will like the story as a whole once it's done in spite the pairings (or non-pairings) that you may not like. The plot definitely thickens from here before winding down to it's end.**

**I want to say too that I am not sure where the Nigel part of the plot will end up yet, so I'll try to keep an open mind if you all will... Thanks for listening and thanks even more for reading (and hopefully reviewing) the next chapter of my story!**

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Chapter 17: "Nigel Gets Another Shock"

Numbuh One could not believe his ears! It was not as though he was deliberately eaves-dropping, but Numbuhs Infinity and 74.239 were not exactly being perfectly quiet either. Of course they had no idea he was standing there within earshot of their conversation, having been asked by Global Command to wait outside while Numbuh Four gave his report. The conversation was one that rocked him to his soul and made him question everything he had ever believed about the organization he had served unconditionally for more than half his life.

"I am very pleased to see the direction in which Numbuh One has taken Sector T.V. despite the failure of his team to locate and rescue Numbuh Four. He is nearly ready to be re-assigned, I believe. Now that the missing operative has been recovered, he will be less likely to resist", Numbuh Infinity speculated.

"Yes I agree. Nothing could have convinced him to leave his team while they still suffered from such a profound loss. I don't think even the tactics we employed last time would work under those circumstances", Numbuh 74.239 replied.

"No. There would be nothing we could use like before. The computer did it's work well, but that was a case of trying to separate him from just one person that he loved. This would be different, it would be going against the very loyalty and honor that we value in him to leave his team in distress".

_Did they really just say what I think they said?_ Nigel was pretty sure that the two operatives had just admitted to DELIBERATELY coming between him and Lizzie all those years ago. Using covert, and less than honest means to do it. It sounded as though they had manipulated him and the events surrounding the end of his relationship and that fact if true would alter Nigel's perception forever. He continued listening now with open intent to find the truth.

"Had we left Numbuh One to his own devises, he might still be with that loud, obnoxious, twit", Infinity continued, making Numbuh One's blood pressure rise.

"She was too high a security risk, it's true. But beyond that if Numbuh One had been offered the choice to leave her behind or stay while they were still 'together' would he have been able to choose the GKND over her? We did see him turn away from a mission, and direct order from his superior in favor of Lizzie during the test", said 74.239.

"Yes. I hope he does not harbor any such blind allegiances to the members of Sector T.V. If he does we may have to resort to even more drastic measures this time to get him to leave", Infinity actually sounded a little worried.

"Hopefully the return of Numbuh Four will stabilize the team enough for Numbuh One to see that they don't need him so much now. We have to get a new Leader in that sector if we want any changes to be made. All the other sectors at the Teen Level remember Sector V in it's glory. They look there for inspiration, and no one will ever agree to follow our plans unless Sector V is on board, front and center", Numbuh 74.239 stopped short at a noise in the hall, and the two operatives turned to look in the direction it had come from, but saw nothing.

"Agreed" said Numbuh infinity when he was sure no one else was listening to them.

Nigel had ducked around the corner just in time to avoid detection. He was still reeling from the things he'd heard, but now he was determined to find out the depth of this conspiracy, stop it from going any further and to reclaim the things they had stolen from him – including Lizzie if she'd let him. All his concern for how Numbuh Four was doing with his report vanished from his head, as he marched down the corridors toward the Supreme Leader's office. If she knew anything about what the GKND had done, the betrayal would be complete. Rachel McKenzie was his friend, his boss, and even though some people thought there was more between them, Nigel saw her as he did Abby or Kuki. He saw them as 'younger' sisters – he felt compelled to look out for them, and Rachel – she was the 'big sister', someone to look up to and to emulate. She was everything he wanted to be. A strong leader, a fine strategist, and commanding officer, a compassionate and generous supervisor, and most importantly a loyal friend. At least he hoped she had been loyal to him, and not been a party to the plot to ruin his life.

Not everyone saw things the way Nigel Uno did. This applied to many aspects of his life, but most of all it was glaringly obvious in his affection for Lizzie Devine. He was the last person to claim her to be faultless, as it was usually himself who bore the brunt of her flaws. She was loud, and often obnoxious, but what the others never could see was the side of Lizzie that she rarely showed anyone else. She had a sweet personality really, but years of mean-spirited treatment by her peers had left her defensive, and more likely to alienate people so they could never hurt her. Most people knew very little about Lizzie's family life, but she had told him some of the reality, and it was not a very pleasant tale. Lizzie was the product of both her home and community, she kept everyone out, she yelled, and was needy, and bossy. She internalized and then repeated the things her family and others had said to her, usually at Nigel. He could see past all that when most others couldn't. Being less than what most people saw as physically attractive, Lizzie also had become very insecure about her looks. Her family did nothing to help considering her their 'ugly duckling' and even saying so in front of and often to her. The terribly unfashionable glasses and plumpness did nothing to help matters in that area either.

Nigel was just not the kind of person to be so shallow as to refuse to get to know someone just because of outside appearances. When he first met Lizzie, it was just like when he'd met Hoagie and Wally – she was in trouble from some nasty older girls making fun, and he just couldn't put up with it. No one deserved to be treated badly for no reason. After he'd helped her out, they just fell into conversation and discovered how many things they had in common. After a couple of weeks 'hanging out' at school, finally Nigel had asked her out. He had only then begun to see the possessive side of her, and the aggression that came out when she felt threatened. He understood better than others that she was so afraid of loosing her first real friend that she often over re-acted. Even when she had pressured him about his eating habits, he knew that she only did so from a fear that he might suffer as she had before. She was overbearing, unreasonable, demanding and clingy in the extreme, but she was sweet, gentle and loving underneath. She was herself and he loved her for it still.

When he had first come home from his GKND assignment, he had tried to look her up, just to see how she was doing, but something always came up to stop him. Missions and training exercises and countless other little tasks, had to be attended to so he just never made it to her front door. He wondered now how much of the 'in-demand' status he enjoyed was simply a ruse to keep him from forming a re-attachment to anyone here. Reaching the door of the Supreme Leader's office, he steeled himself in case of his friend letting him down and then he entered his pass-code to the outer office. Upon his entrance the two younger security operatives stood at attention, and saluted the high ranking and infamous Numbuh One. The diminutive girl seated at the desk just outside Rachel's office buzzed her communicator panel and announced his arrival to the Supreme Leader. Numbuh 362 looked up from her work when Numbuh One stepped in and watched him close the door behind himself with a glare that told the operatives outside that they would personally be answering to him if anyone interrupted this meeting. They got the message, and scurried back to their assigned tasks.

"What is it Numbuh One? I didn't call a meeting, or anything, so..."

"Rachel I need to ask you something as a friend, and I hope I don't need to do this, but I am asking you to be completely honest with me, OK?" Nigel looked at his commander with a worried expression.

"Of course Numbuh One. I will always be truthful with you, no matter what. You know I could never lie to my friends", Rachel soothed. She had a feeling that whatever was bothering one of her top operatives was a VERY big deal, at least to him.

"I need to know, I need to ask... How much were you involved with me being selected to join the Galactic Kids Next Door? Were you part of any of that?"

"No I wasn't even informed that the GKND were re-assigning you until a couple of hours before you were. They told me so I could be prepared to choose a new leader for Sector V, but then you passed the sunglasses to Numbuh Five. I was completely satisfied with her as your successor, so I really didn't have much to do except to field the inevitable string of questions that followed your 'disappearance'. Why?", Rachel could not understand the sudden interest Nigel had in things that had happened so long ago.

"I just really needed to hear you tell me yourself, that's all", Numbuh One said looking grim.

"What is really going on Nigel?" she surprised him by using his first name. Numbuh 362 was not one to take her role lightly, and she maintained professionalism to a fault. For her to call him by his real name rather than his codename, was a sign of her genuine concern for her friend. Nigel saw the look in her eyes of affinity mixed with the desire to help, and he decided to fill her in on what he had heard in the hall. If he had ever needed an ally in the high levels of power it was now.


	20. The Journey Home is Never Too Long

Chapter 20: "The Journey Home is Never Too Long"

Rachel's reaction to what Nigel had told her was not the one he'd expected. She listened in silence while he explained to her the circumstances surrounding his acceptance into the GKND, and rather than asking any questions as he'd anticipated, she pressed a button on her console. She gestured to a chair near the desk as she spoke quickly into the communicator microphone, and Numbuh One took the offered seat. She finished speaking to whomever it was on the other end and stepped purposefully around the desk and took a seat in an adjacent chair. One additional empty one stood next to her on the opposite side.

Just before he had a chance to question her actions, Nigel turned at the sound of a computerized alert which told them both that the door had opened. When Numbuh One saw who had entered, he bristled immediately.

"I don't know why you called him in on this, Sir. I have already approached Ambassador 274, and he has declined to assist me in my pursuit of this matter", Numbuh One's voice had gone icy, and Rachel blinked in surprise before remembering that Chad had initially refused to help, and that Numbuh One still didn't know any differently.

"Nigel, first of all we are here unofficially, so there is no need for all this formality. Secondly, we don't have time to spend on old feuds so either you work with Numbuh 274 amicably on this, or he and I both walk away right now", at his quick protest she cut him off and continued.

"I mean it Numbuh One. We both want to help, Chad does too, but you and he have to get along if this is going to work. I am not going to spend any time mediating is that clear? To both of you?", she looked sternly from one to the other of the boys waiting. Both nodded and Nigel reached out a hand in symbol of his acquiescence, Chad readily accepted the offer and the three got down to business.

"So we are all agreed that there is a need for immediate action to stop whatever Numbuhs Infinity and 74.239 are part of", Rachel began a summation of their discussion some 30 minutes later.

"Also that their methods in recruiting Numbuh One to the GKND were unjust, and we now know they were not in accord with approved operational procedures. This fact is established when Numbuh 274 re-counts his own recruitment process. Finally, we agree that there is a connection between the actions of at least those two operatives and the disappearance of Numbuh Four", she paused then added as if to herself, "Though what the connection could be is still completely unclear", she paused once more and Chad broke in.

"I think we should meet and discuss this further, but I don't think the meeting should be here", he added before Rachel could continue.

"I think so too, and I also think that my team should be able to help us on this. They're the best there is", Nigel's pride rang in his voice in spite of the dire circumstances.

"OK, so we'll meet to plan our course at the Sector T.V. tree-house 20:00 hours tomorrow night. In the mean time Numbuh One, you will brief your team on what is going on, and Ambassador 274 you will please do what ever you need to do to get information on your end that could help us", Numbuh 362 glanced briefly at her compatriots before walking briskly around to the far side of her desk, back to her usual commanding self. She had the feeling that they were about to get more than any of them bargained for, but before she could express any of her feelings, Numbuh 274 did it for her.

"I have a bad feeling about this", he stated as he stood to go back to his office and tackle the report he now had to make to Galactic High Command. That would have to be handled with care now, he knew that much.

Numbuh One looked at both of his friends with a look of grim determination set on his features, and saluting them both, he thanked them for agreeing to help him in his cause. He turned then and marched purposefully toward the Mess to find Numbuh Four.

When he arrived there, the first thing that stood out to Numbuh One was the silence in the room. Usually the Moon Base Mess was a very loud place to be indeed. With none of the restrictive adult rules that prevailed in school cafeterias, this room was usually a bustling place filled with the high-energy, happy pulse of children. Laughter and animated conversations echoed around the space, and food flew with some regularity across the room whenever any operative decided to declare a 'food-fight'. Now however there was none of the usual atmosphere. The operatives who sat at the tables, were eating quietly and a few were speaking to those at the same table in hushed tones.

This was not good. Wondering what on the moon had happened to everyone, Nigel walked through the line and grabbed a meatball sandwich, piece of cake, a root-beer, and some pistachio ice-cream. He needed to eat, as he'd had nothing since leaving the tree-house that morning. He moved past Numbuh Change for a Twenty, and scanned the tables for his friend Wally. When his eyes found their target his heart broke just a little. Wally sat alone, at a corner table poking uselessly at his plate of nachos and moving a cheeseburger around on another plate without making much of a dent in it either. Even the soda at his right hand sat gradually going flat, untouched. The image confused Nigel greatly, this was the same boy, the same operative who had been welcomed back to the KND at Lime Ricky's with tremendous acclaim, what seemed to be genuine joy. Now everyone seemed to be shunning him. His mind spinning with questions about the sudden reversal of everyone's feelings, Nigel made his way quickly to the table across from Wally and taking his seat, he tried to lighten the oppressive mood.

"So I don't know about you Numbuh Four, but all this 'reporting' has got me absolutely starving. I could eat for days!", he looked at Wally who had not moved an inch.

"Numbuh Four?"

"Will we be heading back home after you eat, Numbuh One?", Wally finally spoke very softly, but when he looked up Nigel was shocked to see how dead his eyes had become. What had happened?

"Yes I think we can head out in just a few minutes", he paused. "Numbuh Four?"

"Not now Numbuh One, please not now. Just enjoy your lunch and let's go", there was a trace of something, a crack in Wally's voice that told Nigel not to press him. Doing so would break him, or at least cause him to shut down entirely.

Suddenly the food on Nigel's plate looked utterly unappealing and he mournfully took his plates and Numbuh Fours from the table to the trash, without another word. Wally watched him go sadly, and tried to look past the operatives in the room who looked at him with such differing expressions from the impromptu Lime Ricky's celebration when some of the same people had requested autographs and bought him welcome home drinks.

"Let's go home Numbuh Four", Nigel re-approached the table and stood next to it waiting for his friend to rise from his seat. They proceeded past only a few tables with kids seated, before Nigel who was leading the way couldn't stand it any longer. He stopped suddenly about half way to the exit, and Wally nearly crashed into him from behind, only noticing the halt at the last moment. Nigel turned to face the room full of young operatives, and his sunglasses gleamed in the overhead lights. The kids faces showed that regardless of what they thought of Numbuh Four now, Numbuh One was still highly respected. Some of those closer to him, could see his jaw set tightly and felt guilty for letting him down.

"I would like you attention Kids Next Door!", he began, raising his voice to be sure they could all hear.

"Even though this organization has never run in an 'adult' way, we have always had our traditions. Those traditions have kept the KND strong through years of adult tyranny, and changing times. One tradition that I hope we never lose is the respect we show each other. Showing respect to your fellow operatives at all times is one of the most vital ways we demonstrate that we are above the petty power struggles, bickering, and squabbling that plague the adult world needlessly.

"Traditionally, when an operative who out ranks us enters a room, leaves it, or gives an order, any member present regardless of Sector or assignment stands and salutes, and if addressed, complies with any orders. Now, I am not giving any of you any orders right now. However, I am hoping to see that there are still operatives here who value our traditions, and are brave enough to show it", he stopped and waited a fraction of a second before taking a seat next to a startled youngster at the nearest table.

"Go ahead to the the ship, Numbuh Four. I have called ahead to the hanger to have the techs run pre-flight for us, so just get on board and program the auto-pilot, please. I'll be there shortly", he gave the orders confident that his teammate would comply and was now watching to see if his speech had made it to the hearts of any of the kids in the room.

Wally looked a bit stunned at Nigel's display, but he immediately complied and with a heartfelt salute, he smiled at his leader before turning to continue towards the door. Numbuh One held a breath as Wally turned, waiting to see if his gamble had paid off. As he'd hoped, every operative in the Mess got to his or her feet and saluted the exiting Numbuh Four as he passed them. Even those who were behind Numbuh Four already when Nigel had spoken rose and respectfully saluted his back. Numbuh One looked with satisfaction at the occupants of the Mess and since they seemed to have learned their lesson for now, he did not delay his own exit long enough for them to resume their seats. Hands which had lowered snapped back up as he jogged past and several minds were filled with the desire to always make a leader like Numbuh One proud if they could. Nigel himself caught up with the Sector T.V. combat specialist just outside the Mess.

"Numbuh Four!", he called and Wally halted his progress turning around.

"I decided not to wait after all, so we can go to the ship together", Nigel stopped speaking and stepped up to walk beside Numbuh Four. His matter-of-fact tone belied his concern for his friend and also concealed the relief he still felt that the kids in the Mess had done what he'd hoped.

"Thanks for that Numbuh One. We both know that they only did that because you asked them too. At least they still look up to you, I haven't ruined that too, yet", he looked down as he walked, and avoided Numbuh One's searching look.

"Would you care to enlighten me about why they would have any reason not to look up to you just as much as they do me, or any of us?", Nigel's tone was not harsh, but he saw Wally flinch anyway.

"Thinking someone they admired lied to them, tends to bring that reaction out", was the less than fully enlightening response, but before Numbuh One could question further, they had reached the ship and he was approached by the crew chief to receive the pre-flight report. Numbuh Four stepped silently past them and boarded the shuttle.

When Numbuh One entered a few minutes later, he found that Numbuh Four had programed auto-pilot and was engaged in the final systems check before take off. Numbuh One quietly took his seat and resolved to continue the conversation on the flight home. He waited for Numbuh Four to indicate successful systems analysis, and then ordered lift off. Once they were in flight, and he'd instructed Numbuh Four to engage the auto-pilot, Nigel decided it was time to finish this discussion.

"Numbuh Four, I need you to explain what you meant just now. Why would anyone in the KND think you lied to them?", he asked getting straight to the material point.

"Because even though you said, and I believe you, that you never told them about the rest of what Father did, they apparently already knew, and when your report didn't mention any of it, they wanted to see what I'd say. When I didn't tell them about the rest of the details either, they said I'd conspired with you to conceal relevant facts. They said we'd both face decommissioning for the offense and it took me a long time to convince them not to do that, not to you anyway.

"I guess Numbuh 274 believed me when I said you hadn't known everything that happened when you wrote your report, because he defended us. You should have seen the committee members faces when he spoke, I guess he doesn't do that very much. Then Numbuh 362 backed him up and they let me off the hook with just a censure on my record. I can't qualify for any promotions for 6 months, but that doesn't bother me because I'd never leave the sector now that I finally made it home, no matter what the opening was", he stopped at length and looked at Numbuh One who seemed somewhat lost in thought.

"So they both stood up for you, and exposed themselves. What damage will that do I wonder?", he mumbled to himself and Wally had to reach out and wave a hand in front of Nigel's face to get his attention.

"What's going on here Numbuh One? Even I can see there is more bothering you about this than a censure for me", he asked but rather than answer directly Nigel asked a question of his own in reply.

"Why were the operatives in the Mess so distant toward you then? If only the Global Command Committee knew about the censure, then what was wrong with the rest of them?"

"I suppose 'good news' travels fast. The word must have gotten around that I'd 'lied', because when I got to the Mess to eat, no one would speak to me and several of the kids called me 'Liar' under their breaths as I walked by. I tried not to let it get to me, but it really started to after a while. These are the same kids who wanted my autograph the other night, and now they all think I betrayed their trust. It hurts to think that, really", he looked away from Nigel with a deep sadness in his tone.

"No. There has got to be something else going on here, Numbuh Four. Those kids were told something about you that made them believe you had betrayed them, but I don't think it was just the censure. If it had been that, then they would have believed I lied too, and it didn't seem like that to me. It was just you they turned on. There must be a reason for that and we're going to find out what it is, and restore your good name. You have my word of honor on that", Numbuh One stopped and swiveled his chair to transmit the code to the tree-house computer to lift the Code L-62 so that their approaching shuttle could enter. Just as he did, Number Three's cheery face appeared on the view screen and she greeted them with glee.

"You're home! Yay!", she shouted, causing Numbuh One to cover his ears and Numbuh Four to chuckle softly with a new spark of life flaring in his eyes, at her happiness.

Numbuh Two's face suddenly came into view next to her, and he spoke to Numbuh One with a smile on his face too. Numbuh Four watched Kuki's movements in the background as she flitted through the room seemingly getting ready for them to arrive. He smiled at her, then he reluctantly turned his attention to Numbuh Two because she had moved beyond the field of the view screen.

"So Numbuh One, the Defense Array worked perfectly and signaled your approach _way_ before you got close, so I asked Numbuh Three to hail you in case you needed to tell us anything before you landed. She just went to wake Abby, I mean Numbuh Five, up so as soon as she gets here we can end the L-62. The bay door should be open for your approach in about 3-5 minutes", he stopped and looked to his left as Numbuh Five entered sleepily.

"Thank you Numbuh Two. We'll be in shortly then. End transmission", Numbuh One took the shuttle off auto-pilot and circled twice around the tree-house. On the second pass, he motioned to Numbuh Four to look out the side window on the way by the tree-house back deck. When he did so, Wally laughed out loud until tears came to his eyes. Numbuh One laughed a little too, and slowed the ship dramatically as they flew over the spot where Wally was looking. He was pleased to see how happy his friend was, and wanted to let him enjoy it as long as possible.

As Wally looked curiously out the window toward the tree-house, at Numbuh One's urging, he was pleasantly surprised to see that Numbuh Three had come out onto the deck and was skipping around the wooden floor waving her arms above her head at them, grinning from ear-to-ear, and jumping up and down. She was clearly also yelling greetings up to them, but her words were swallowed by the shuttle's engines. When Numbuh One had seen her come into view, he knew that the bay door would also be open now for them to land. He slowly turned the ship toward the opening still listening with pleasure to the laughter from behind him. When it finally died out, Wally spoke.

"I guess this means she's glad we're back huh? I suppose she knows we can't hear a word she's saying, right?", he was still breathing irregularly from laughing, and his smile could be heard in his voice.

"She does know that I'm sure. I'm also fairly certain it's mostly you, she's so happy to have home, Numbuh Four", Numbuh One replied with a genuine smile of his own.

"Yeah, I guess so", Wally was flushing pink with embarrassment now, but he was also chomping at the bit to get off the ship and see Kuki. He had called and talked to her before he'd given his report to GC, and was more anxious to see her than ever. As soon as the shuttle was safely on the hanger floor, he rushed down the boarding ramp, and raced across the wooden planks scoping her up as he reached her.

Numbuhs Two and Five smiled softly to each other as they passed the two operatives clasped in a reuniting embrace, completely unaware of anyone else's existence. Numbuh One also looked on with peaceful content, from the other side of the room. He could see Abby and Hoagie as they approached, and he did not miss it when Hoagie pulled her hand up to his lips briefly as they each looked at Wally and Kuki happily together again. Abby of course being the top-notch spy, saw Nigel watching them, but she knew her friend was happy for her. She did the spontaneous thing then, and stopped Hoagie's steps just as they arrived at Numbuh One's position. She reached up quickly and kissed Hoagie firmly on the mouth, reveling in the feeling as his arms closed around her of their own volition. She kissed him openly, ignoring his shocked, half-hearted protests muffled by her lips about what Numbuh One would say. She knew what Numbuh One would say.

"Nothing to worry about, baby. Numbuh One is happy for Abby and Hoagie. Right Numbuh One?", she smiled and turned towards him while Hoagie attempted and failed to recover the power of speech. She had actually kissed Hoagie P. Gilligan, Jr. _speechless_ without even really trying. That was really something to smile about!


	21. A Call Home

Chapter 21: "A Call Home"

Wally and Kuki stood lost in each other in the middle of the hanger bay in the early morning light. Arms wrapped tightly, and eyes locked, lips met and parted and met again. They were one blob of orange cottony fabric. Kuki had not removed Wally's hoodie even for a moment while he'd been gone, even sleeping in it the one night that had come on Earth since he'd flown away. Holding her now his orange clad arms blended in with her slight form creating one silhouette for both of them.

The breeze always blew steadily here, due in part to the height of the tree and in part to the suction that the shape of the opening to the hanger created. The incessant wind blew Kuki's jet tresses in all directions as she looked up into Wally's mesmerizingly green eyes, welcoming him home with all that she was, had been, or ever would be. He was equally captive in her gaze, and he made a valiantly ineffective effort to tame her locks if for nothing else, to keep them out of her eyes. As he peered into those tanzanite eyes which held the answer to every question he'd ever asked, his thoughts carried him back to the call he'd placed from the communications deck before he'd been summoned to re-tell his story to the Global Command.

He recalled the buoyancy of his step as he'd made his way to the communications area, and how his heart had beat faster and faster with every step he took. When the lift tube's doors had opened to give him entrance it was racing like a gazelle in his chest, leaping up and over every other beat. It amazing him beyond his ability to fathom that anyone could affect him so profoundly without even being anywhere near him. If just the prospect of talking to her long distance like this could utterly undo him, then words could not describe the feeling of being close to her, holding her, kissing her. The sheer elation of loving Kuki Sanban had rendered Wallabee Beatles utterly and completely helpless, the surprise in that was that he actually found himself liking the idea.

He had always sworn that no 'cruddy girl' would ever have this much power over him, but he now resigned himself that one girl did. She did now, she always would and if he was really honest with himself she always had. Kuki had been born into the world almost seventeen years ago already in possession of the only key to his heart. Were anyone to ask her about the password required to gain admittance to the secret garden of her soul's delight and heart's desires, and she would state unequivocally that Wally had too been born the only person to ever know the phrase.

Wally had walked up to one of the many operatives stationed on the communications deck, and requested an open frequency and a booth with an individual view screen and headphones. The young operative whom he'd approached looked up at him in shock, but had quickly arranged what he asked for and eagerly checked to see if the equipment was acceptable. He'd then hemmed and hawed and shifted his weight foot to foot until Wally, finally had to come out and ask the kid if there was something he wanted.

"Well you see sir, Numbuh Four sir, I was really just wondering, if you – I mean, well I'd really like it if I could tell my sector that I had actually met you in person. But I don't think they'd believe me sir, and I...", he trailed off too embarrassed to continue. Wally knew what the kid was trying so hard to get at, so he put him out of his misery and offered.

"So do ya' think my autograph would help at all?", he asked with a big-brotherly grin. The younger boys face lit up like Times Square on New Year's Eve, and he took off like a shot in the opposite direction leaving a very confused Numbuh Four looking after him.

Wally was just settling into the booth to call Sector T.V., when he heard the squealing of someone's sneakers skidding across the floor behind him. It was the boy from earlier, who had returned with an object in hand and a permanent marker, both of which he extended toward Wally in a rush with a smile that completely bisected his face. The object he held out was a very beat up, _old_ 2x4 technology mustard ray gun which obviously no longer functioned and was beyond repair. Numbuh Four couldn't help the raised eyebrow that the dismal old thing elicited. He bit back open laughter when he saw the boy's prideful gaze settle on the former weapon.

"It's the one you carried when you and the original Sector V had to rescue the other sectors from those renegade mustaches. Numbuh 142 retrieved it after he returned to Sector T's tree-house and since he is a friend, he knew I'd take super good care of it. Gee, I hope you don't mind that I've had it all this time. I probably should have sent it back to you, oh man now you probably won't – ", Numbuh Four kindly cut the boy's rambling short by taking the mustard gun from his grasp and signing its muzzle with the marker.

He handed them both back to the youngster with another smile, and after the delighted operative left, he turned back to the console in front of him to link up to sector T.V.'s communication station. He hoped Number Three would be on duty there right now. He was well aware that during a Code L-62 the communications and defense stations had to be manned around the clock, so one of his three friends would definitely be picking up his transmission. He just hoped it would be her, so he wouldn't have to find a way to ask for her without embarrassing himself.

"Calling Sector T.V. This is Moon Base. Come in Sector T.V. Numbuh Four here calling Sector T.V.", he was just starting to get worried that something was wrong, making them unable to respond when a cheerful Asian face appeared on his screen and the melodic voice of his soul-mate caressed his ears.

"This is Sector T.V. responding. Please transmit your message. Be advised a Code L-62 is currently in effect here, so no operatives are able to – Oh hi Wally!", she smiled broadly and clasped her hands together joyfully when she realized the caller's identity.

"Hey Kooks. I was just callin' to check in. How's everything there?"

"Everything's fine here Wally, don't worry. Did you give your report yet?"

"No not yet. I'm supposed to go in soon, Numbuh One is finished with his though", he answered somewhat glumly.

"Don't worry Wally, I know you'll be OK. I believe in you", she reassured him, and the genuine affection in her voice made him want to reach through the view-screen and kiss her right then and there.

"Thanks Kooks, I know you do, and it means a lot to me – really. Ahem, so tell me again how everything's going there?", he cleared hid throat to remove the lump of emotion settled there, and unconsciously repeated his question. She giggled and repeated her answer, this time with a bit more detail.

"Everything here is fine Wally. Except that it's really boring with the Code L-62 and it's really, really lonely without you", she pouted at this point and Wally thought she looked adorable, though he would never admit it. He missed her even more now, but he just had to get through the report and then he could go home.

"Aw, Kooks don't look so sad. You know I have to do this, but if I had my own way I would be there with you right now. Say, I never thought about it until now, but what time is it there anyway? I didn't wake you did I?", he was concerned knowing that sleep was an issue for her in recent months.

"It's getting kinda late here, but you didn't wake me up because it's my shift on the comm. right now. We have to take eight hour shifts because of the Lock-down. Hey, do you have any idea why Numbuh One ordered it? Numbuh Five says she doesn't know, and I was wondering too", she stopped, and looked curiously at him.

"Yeah he ordered it because I asked him to. I wanted to make sure that Father can't get to you while I'm gone. He could come there looking for me because I escaped ya know. I could never forgive myself if anything bad happened to you because of me Kooks", he broke off choked up a little at the thought.

"Oh Wally, you don't have to worry so much. We're safe here, and I can't wait until you come home! I love you, Wally!", she spoke the last words low so that she would not be overheard by Numbuh Two, who was currently monitoring the Defense Array for any signs of impending attack.

It was Numbuh Five's eight hours to sleep. When Kuki's comm. shift ended, she would rotate to the defense station, and Hoagie would rotate out to sleep while Abby would take over communications. They would continue on this way until the order for the Code L-62 to be rescinded was received. Meals were thirty minutes, and two fifteen minute breaks were allotted per shift on each station.

Wally smiled at her warmly, and replied that he returned her feelings. They chatted on peacefully for several more minutes until Numbuh Four's wrist communicator sounded the alarm that told him he was due back to Global Command. He said a fond good-bye to Kuki and sent his greetings to the other two remaining teammates in the tree-house, and then giving her all his love, he ended the transmission and ran quickly back to the bench outside the Global Command Meeting Room. He sat down on it and began gathering his thoughts in preparation for being summoned. He was briefly aware that Numbuh One had not yet returned from where ever he'd gone and Numbuh Four started to contemplate whether his friend would get back in time to hear the report. He even thought fleetingly about whether they'd let Nigel come in to listen to it in person.

His musings were cut off at last, by an operative on security detail stepping up to bid him to enter. He rose from the bench to go into the room with his head held high. Just a few more minutes, and this whole thing would finally be over, he could put it all behind him and move forward from his nightmarish experiences at last. He hoped vehemently to never have to tell this story again after this one last time. Wally stepped into the chamber and saluted the panel. He waited, and Numbuh 362 spoke on behalf of the group.

"At ease Numbuh Four. Thank you for coming to speak to us today. As I am sure you are aware, we have already heard you sector leader's report on your disappearance. However, due to the seriousness of the events described in that report, the Global Command committee has requested that you give us your full accounting of everything you experienced from the start of your captivity. We realize that this may be a difficult task for you, so please, have a seat and tell us what happened at your own pace", she indicated a chair and Wally sat down in it, and clearing his throat, breathing in deeply, he began to recount his tale one final time.

When at last he'd said all he had to say, Numbuh Four stood again at attention and listened to the concerns and accusations of the panel. After no less than twenty minutes of convincing, Numbuh Four was relieved to hear Numbuh 362 adjourn the meeting and dismiss him. The committee members exited the room before he did though, and he sighed heavily as he made his exit. This testimony and the floor fight after it had been very draining for him. He saw Numbuh One waiting for him by the bench, and he decided at the last minute to put off telling Nigel about the happenings in the meeting room for as long as possible. He therefore spoke to Numbuh one quietly and without stopping his forward movement. He said something less than intelligible about going to the Mess to eat, and continued in that direction without really waiting for a reply from Numbuh One. He felt relieved when he noted that Nigel had not immediately followed. Maybe he could find a little peace and quiet in the Mess, even under all the chaotic noise there, it was a peaceful place to him. There is of course such a thing as too much peace and quiet, which Numbuh Four was about to discover – the hard way.


	22. Help for Nigel From Out of the Past

Chapter 22: "Help for Nigel, From Out of the Past"

"Of course I am happy for you Numbuh Five, Numbuh Two. I am very happy for all of you to have found what you were looking for. I just hope you'll all be very careful not to do anything that could put your status as operatives in jeopardy. I'm sure I don't have to tell you that the sector would collapse if any of you weren't here", he looked at them and even Hoagie could see that there was more to his words than the face value.

"We found that out with Wally missing, Numbuh One. Believe me none of us want to go through anything close to that ever again. I know better now, what Kuki went through – if Abby had been taken from us, I just don't know, I don't think I would have made it through even with the rest of you to help", he came to a sudden halt, his voice thick with the emotions that just the possibility of being without her brought to his throat.

Abby looked at him quickly, hearing the choked anguish in his voice, and she reached up and silently soothed him with a hand on his cheek. She did not speak, but locked her gaze with his, and told him with it that she would always be right beside him. Always. Nigel watched the exchange with a mix of genuine contentment for his friends, and some not so subtle ache for himself. The longing for the completion they had brought to each other was heightened now that he knew what had really happened with Lizzie. He couldn't help wondering what might have been, and the look in his eyes was one of distant, regretful query.

Abby and Hoagie had turned back to face him, but he didn't see them as he looked through the water-colored images of his past floating across his mind's eye. So many times he had put the job first. So many times he had run head first into danger and left Lizzie looking after him in the distance. He had taken his commitment to the KND like a soldier's oath. Rachel's nickname for him back then fit so perfectly, he'd go rushing off to save the world time and again, believing without a doubt that Lizzie'd be waiting when he got back. Was it really just to much to ask? Would she have tired of the waiting and sharing his loyalties without the extra push from the computer? Hadn't he told her how she kept him going? Maybe she just didn't understand, maybe he didn't try hard enough to prove it to her. Maybe...

His mind fired questions at his consciousness with dizzying speed. Where would they be now? Would there still be a 'them'? Would he be a happier more grounded version of himself with Lizzie to hold onto? Or would they have come to the same bitter end without 'help' from Infinity and 74.239? These questions and more swirled around his mind in a vortex that threatened ominously to suck him under and hold him down until there were scant traces of his soul left intact. Hoagie was the first to try and jostle Numbuh One from his hazy internal turmoil.

"Hey, Numbuh One we should get inside. Maybe things can finally start getting back to normal around here?", he stepped toward the door connecting the hanger to the rest of the tree-house, but paused when his leader did not respond or move. This time he looked to Abby for help and she calmly placed a latte toned hand on her friend's shoulder.

"Come on inside Numbuh One. Everything is gonna work out now, baby. Abby knows there's something weighin' on your mind, but we'll getcha through. Don't worry, we always do", she looked at him from under the rim of her red cap and as if waking from a dream, Nigel started and his eyes searched hers for a moment. When he seemed to find what he needed to see, he smiled wanly and nodded, wordlessly walking to the door behind Numbuhs Three and Four. The two of them had at last broken themselves apart somewhat and had moved off in the direction of the door, Wally's arm draped over her shoulders and hers wrapped tightly around his waist as they walked.

"I will need everyone to come into the briefing room for a moment", Nigel spoke as his team all gathered in the main room. They each regarded him with concern, because all could hear the worry, stress, and exhaustion in his tone.

"I won't take long, but there are some things you all need to be aware of. Some facts have come to light which put us in a difficult position as a team, and before things can go any further, I want you to all be informed so that you can make the best decision for you as to what to do", he paused and removed his sunglasses pinching the bridge of his nose trying to ward off the headache which had been his most constant companion these past few months. The deep purplish shadows under his seemingly sunken graphite eyes, marred his otherwise handsome, youthful face and caused Kuki to gasp sharply. She tried to cover and her eyes darted to the floor when Numbuh One looked her way.

It was more than clear to all of them now that the suffering of his team and friends had taken an equally hard toll on their leader. The sunglasses hid a great deal from the outside world, even from his closest friends and he returned the accessories to their place. Sighing deeply and with a concerted effort, he recounted to them the events with Global Command, the censure, his overheard intelligence about Infinity and 74.239, and finally that Numbuhs 274 and 362 had agreed to risk everything to help him get to the truth and to put a stop to whatever sinister plot was brewing. He told them that while he wanted and truly needed their help in the coming fight, that he would understand completely and respect their decision if they chose to remain out of the line of fire this time. As he said this, he looked directly into Wally's eyes. Nigel knew the other boy had suffered enough for a lifetime already, and he would not ask him to risk anything else.

After the impromptu meeting had broken up, and the others had left the room Nigel walked heavily back to his bedroom. He felt completely overwhelmed and as if he were spiraling out of control. There was so much inside him that needed release. As he stood seething in the middle of his room, his gaze fell on the arrangement of commendations, medals, and various awards he'd been given during his years with the KND. Suddenly and nearly without warning a rage black as the hole that remained when a star died overtook him, and he saw nothing in those objects but the representation of the options that been stolen from him. Years of his life devoted blindly, unconditionally to this organization only to discover that they'd robbed him. Stolen years, stolen choices, stolen his independence, stolen his chance at happiness – a chance that might never come again.

That chance was his alone to claim or surrender! They'd had no right to manipulate him like this! No right to choose for him, what he should do with his life, or his heart! No cause, noble or otherwise, could justify what had been done, nothing could rationalize the hurt they'd caused him and not to mention the pain they'd caused Lizzie, who was not even an operative. Her only crime was trying to love him and look how she'd paid for that! The anger welled up inside until it nearly choked him. He could taste it, smell it hard, cold, and sharp and bitter as gall. That moment is when he realized that the Uno blood ran in him just as much as in his uncle and grandfather.

The clarity made him even more distraught and he lashed out, hurling the previously prized accolades to the floor with an echoing crash and an almost animalistic scream of pure anguish. The release of that crash and the outcry, spurred him on and he attacked more of his things with lightening quickness, he smashed anything that reminded him of the KND and what they'd done to him. The disillusionment was deafening in it's clamor. Spent, he stood for a second in the wreckage of his belongings breathing hard, body shaking. His last remaining strength drained from him just as the four other members of the sector burst through the door in alarm, ready to defend their leader from whatever unseen evil had beset him. They took in the shocking sight of the destroyed room, and eyes widened in horror as they observed Nigel Uno sinking to his knees in the shards of metal, wood, and glass at his feet. He did not register the cuts the pieces made into his flesh. He did not heed their cries as his friends tried to call to him.

He did not see the blood running from his hands, knees and arms cut and damaged in his outburst. He did not see, or hear, or feel anything anymore. An icy, numbing cold had descended on him and his whole body trembled as he slid the rest of the way to the floor in what felt like slow motion, welcoming the blackness that swallowed him. He did not hit the ground. Nigel's friends gathered him in their arms and placed him on his bed. Wally had been the first to reach him, and had actually caught him as he'd blacked out. He ached for Nigel, knowing exactly what this was like having been through it himself. His eyes sought his friends and Kuki, reading the request in their green depths, guided the others gently out of the room. She herself went quickly to the Med Lab and gathered first aid supplies.

As she returned a moment or two later, she passed Hoagie and Abby standing holding onto each other with pain etched faces in the empty space outside the room where their respected and admired leader lay amidst the shambles of his former life. Kuki quickly re-entered the room and assigned Wally to try and clean up as much as he could of the mess, while she started dressing and cleaning the cuts on her friend. She asked Wally to try and save anything that might be able to be fixed, and called softly for the others now, asking them to assist in the restoration of order to the room. Hoagie looked stricken at his friend, and she had to gently shake him to be heard.

"Numbuh Two! This is what Nigel needs you to do right now. You know we'll need the damaged 2x4 technology repaired and operational ASA – Now. Numbuh One doesn't want this destruction and you know it, so get to work", she ordered, and he complied with a grateful look.

"Abby, I need your help over here", she motioned to the other girl to help with Number One's wounds and the espionage expert joined her friend the medical officer in tending to their commander's injuries.

Abby herself had begun to settle on a plan to try and restore his emotional balance too. As soon as he was patched up and Kuki had collected all the medical paraphernalia, Abby strode out of the room, out of the tree-house, and down the sidewalk with renewed purpose in her stride. There was only one person who might be of any use to Nigel right now and Abby could only hope that nothing had changed since she'd last checked. That the person in question would still be willing to help.

As she walked, she permitted a few tears to slip past her lids knowing that no one could see them. She had known how unhappy Nigel had been over loosing Lizzie when it happened, but now that she was aware that the whole thing was a ruse someone had used to hurt him, she vowed to avenge her injured friend no matter what. She reached her destination and rang the bell, standing on the doorstep with nerves more rattled than she'd ever admit. She had never, ever seen Numbuh One lose control like that before and she'd known him nearly all their lives. The thought occurred to her that he had acted like Father back there and the correlation truly frightened her.

The door swung open and a teenage girl stood in the frame. Lizzie Devine had grown up quite a bit in the nearly seven years that she'd been away from Nigel and his friends. Her parents had sent her to a private school and rarely ever contacted her while she was there. She had actually fared better away from them, because without the constant belittling and hurtful remarks, she was finally able to come into her own sense of self and with that progress had come the growth and development of her interpersonal skills. She had seen a couple of boys during the time she'd been away, but none had been serious connections for her. No one would ever really compare to Nigel Uno in her eyes even in spite of the misery his KND allegiance had brought her.

She looked now at the tall languid figure of Abigail Lincoln before her and wondered what could have brought the other girl here after all this time. They had not been friends in their childhood, Lizzie being well aware that the others only put up with her out of loyalty to Nigel. Honestly, she could not blame them at all. She realized how awful she'd been back then, and regretted it deeply. Lizzie had no idea that it was Abby who had arranged for her to go away to school using her KND connections. Abby and Hoagie had decided to keep an eye on Lizzie for Numbuh One's sake while he was gone, never knowing how much she really needed it. When the harsh realities of her home life had begun to show even to them, Hoagie had taken action on Abby's insistence. They had gotten her accepted into a school where she'd be safe from her family and the rest of her tormentors, because they knew that even broken up, Numbuh One would have tried to protect her if he'd been there. Numbuh Five had been quietly keeping tabs on Lizzie ever since to make sure that she was OK. Lizzie of course knew nothing of this and she curiously regarded the girl at her door waiting for her to speak. At length she did so and taking Lizzie by the wrist she led her briskly back toward the tree-house.

"Come with me Lizzie. Numbuh One needs you", was all Abby said and she staunchly ignored Lizzie's questions as they practically jogged back to Nigel's home.

Upon arrival there, Abby finally decided that Lizzie would need to be a least a little prepared for the state of her former boyfriend, so she spoke again as they rode up the lift-tube to the level which housed his room.

"Nigel is not himself right now, Lizzie. Abby wouldn't have brought you here at all if she didn't think you could help, but you need to understand one thing. This is really important – Nigel has had a big shock, and an even bigger disappointment. He is hurt physically and emotionally right now, and he needs you to reach out to him. Abby knows that things between you two did not end well, but this is connected to that time too. He can tell you how it all concerns you in his own way, but just try to be there for him, please?", Numbuh Five looked at the redheaded girl's face and prayed that she could grasp the dire straights that her ex was now in. If she didn't yet she would when she saw him.

Numbuh Five led Lizzie directly to Nigel's room and opened the door after a soft knock. She found Wally sitting vigil by the beside and Nigel apparently still unconscious on his bed. His sunglasses were on their stand near his head, and the blanket had been pulled over him as he rested. The room was clean of the remnants of Numbuh One's explosive behavior and it felt strangely empty without most of the gadgets and items that used to surround it. Wally looked up when the two girls entered and rising from his seat, he motioned for Lizzie to take his place and quietly exited the room with a consoling arm around Numbuh Five's shoulders. They left Lizzie solemnly looking down at he boy she had once loved. He looked utterly different, but she could see the battered soul of the same gentle, brave, young dreamer who had saved her from the hopeless emptiness of her life. He needed her now and nothing short of death would stop her from trying to bring him back from the brink of disaster if she could.

**PREVIEW**: Chapter 23: "After the Storm"


	23. After the Storm

Chapter 23: "After the Storm"

Numbuh One's eyes drifted open and he immediately regretted it and closed them tightly again. The headache he had now was _massive_. After a struggle he pried one eye open just a slit and wondered vaguely how the room had gotten so dark. He risked lifting the other eyelid slowly, very slowly and then he noticed that he was missing his sunglasses. The room was dark because all the lights were off and it had become night. _When did that happen?_ He raised his hand to his face and the pain he felt shooting through his arm brought the memory cascading back. He groaned softly at the returning images of his psychotic rampage and he was startled to see a red head lift from the mattress beside his other hand.

"Lizzie?", he croaked, his throat raw from the screaming he'd done. She smiled and handed him a cup of water, which he gratefully sipped allowing the ice floating in it to soothe his ravaged esophagus.

"Yes Nigel, it's me. Before you get too worked up, Abby brought me to see you. She seemed to think I might be able to help, but if you want me to go I understand", she made a move to stand, and Nigel panicking gripped her hand like a life line, which he now noted he was already holding from while he'd slept.

"No Lizzie, please stay. I'm glad you're here. I have so much to say to you that I don't know where to begin", he pleaded with her with his eyes, to remain.

"OK, if you're sure you want me to be here, I'll stay. You should rest though, we can talk later. You seem to have had a rough day, by the looks of it", she smiled at him and he looked away. She reached over and gently turned his chin back toward her.

"Don't hide from this Nigel. Whatever it is that brought you here, I know you're strong enough to get through it. Besides you have all your friends right here to support you, you can face it – we'll help you", her voice had gone very soft now, and he felt soothed, and settled listening to her words.

He noticed for the first time how much she'd changed since he'd last seen her. She had gotten taller of course, and her hair was longer. It was still very red, but the twin braids had been given over in favor of a soft wavy cascade of fire down over her shoulders, held in place by a very thin mint green head band. Gone too were the bottle glasses, usurped by, he presumed contact lenses. The missing glasses left her lovely eyes exposed and he dove into them like refreshing lakes of amber and gold flecked with moss. He swam through her eyes and felt the renewal of his soul, common to a spring morning.

She wore no make up that he could discern in the darkness, but he readily decided that she didn't need it. The spray of freckles across her nose was just barely visible in the dim room. Her features had been refined by time and passing adolescence and she had grown into her weight very nicely. She looked curvaceous, beautiful and poised with even her voice carrying a softer edge. He was in short floored by her transformation and sat in the bed transfixed. Gradually she became somewhat fidgety under his scrutiny, and she giggled at the blatant stare he beamed at her. He came to himself suddenly and noticed with some embarrassment that during his study of her, he'd unconsciously clasped her hand to him like a treasure.

"Ahem... I'm sorry Lizzie, I don't mean to be rude, it's just you've grown up so much since I saw you last, and well... you're quite breathtaking", he blushed grateful for the dark.

"Thank you Nigel. That means a lot coming from you especially", she stopped when the door to the room opened quietly and Numbuh Four's head appeared around it.

"Oh good! You're awake. I'm glad... how are you feelin' Numbuh One?", he hesitated a little knowing that Nigel was not really over this yet.

"I'm feeling quite a bit better Numbuh Four. Thank you for asking. Would you mind just switching on one light there for me, please? Oh! Well that might have been a bad idea...", he closed his eyes as his vision swam a little and the pain in his head re-doubled.

"I'll get Kuki to bring you something from Med Lab for your head, OK Numbuh One?", Wally ducked back out the door and Kuki soon appeared with the promised pain relief.

"Thanks Kuki", Nigel murmured as he swallowed the pills she gave him leaning his throbbing head back onto the pillow for a moment. He lifted it again very, very slowly and spoke to her in a voice barely audible. Lizzie took his hand again, bolstering him.

"Numbuh Three? Tell everyone I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused will you?", he looked down and fussed with a thread at the edge of his blanket.

"Tell them yourself", she replied gently and when he raised his eyes again all his friends were standing in the room with supportive and kind expressions on their faces.

Including Numbuhs 274 and 362 who had arrived a little earlier to meet with Sector T.V. only to find that the team's leader was newly incapacitated. They had offered warm hugs to comfort their friends and set to work fixing the many broken items from Numbuh One's room for which Hoagie had been immensely grateful.

"Numbuh 362, sir. Ambassador 274! I'm sorry to have kept you waiting, I assure you I am prepared to meet and I – ", he had suddenly bolted into movement and tried to jump quickly to his feet. Too quickly.

He had not reckoned with being this weak at all, and the dizziness was down right debilitating, not to mention the pain in his head that made him actually believe his eyes might burst from their sockets like gum-wads out of Stickybeard's cannons at any moment. He stopped speaking, swayed just a little, and Wally was instantly next to him easing him back to a seated position on the edge of the bed. Everyone was impressed at Numbuh Four's quick reaction. After all a couple of the others were standing closer to Nigel and he'd gotten there first to prevent the likely face plant that his commander was headed for. Kuki beamed at Wally with pride and he looked shyly at his shoes.

"Take it slower next time, boss", Abby chided gently. Nigel nodded, and looked at Numbuh Four who still had an arm behind him, just in case.

"Thank you Wally. I don't know how I got so weak all at once...", he trailed off bewildered.

"You're body has had enough, that's all. It's telling you to take a break", Kuki spoke softly.

"Yeah Numbuh One, you'll be fine with some rest", Hoagie spoke with an assured tone, and the others all chimed in agreeing.

"That's an order soldier", Rachel smiled and added, "We'll be here when you're ready. Don't push yourself too much", she took Chad's extended hand and left the room with him to continue repairs on the smashed up 2x4 tech stuff that was splayed all over the main room.

Hoagie and Abby followed soon after, and Kuki who could sense that Wally wanted to stay, offered to get Lizzie something to eat and find her a place to lie down for a while, now that Nigel was coming along. Lizzie looked at her with gratitude, and started to follow the Japanese girl out of the room. Suddenly she stopped, turned and before she had time to reconsider she rushed over and placed a sweet kiss on Nigel's forehead. He blinked in amazement, and smiled up at her watching her go with tired eyes.

Wally had remained perched silently next to him on the edge of the bed and hearing Nigel's sigh, he stood up slowly watching for any indication that his friend might topple over, and thus made room for Numbuh One to resume his position reclining against the pillows. Nigel did so without assistance, and he watched as Wally settled in the chair by the bed, clearly intent on staying to watch over him. This new, almost nurturing facet of Numbuh Four's personality intrigued him greatly and for the present his curiosity outweighed his need for sleep. He waited a minute, thinking and then addressed the boy sitting next to him.

"Numbuh Four?"

"Yeah?"

"You don't have to stay you know, I'll be fine now. I don't want to burden you anymore than I already have. You've been through a lot because of me and I...", Wally broke in carefully.

"Which is why I am staying right here. Don't misunderstand me Numbuh One, I know you'll be fine. But that doesn't mean you don't need any help, and it definitely doesn't mean you don't deserve it, like you seem to think. I know better than anybody else what the way you're feelin' right now is like. I've been there", on Nigel's downcast expression, he added, "And if ya don't quit blamin' yourself for what happened, I'll have to wait until you're stronger and make you stop", he grinned genially at his friend who smiled back.

"Thanks Wally. I appreciate your help. I really do", now that his curiosity was sated and he could relax, Nigel was fading toward sleep pretty quickly and Wally, seeing this stood and switched off the light that he'd turned on before at Numbuh One's request.

"Get some rest Numbuh One. Everything will still be here in the morning, there's nothing to worry about. Chad and Rachel are staying too, so we've got it covered", Wally soothed and Nigel mumbled a reply that was too slurred by oncoming slumber for any of it to be comprehensible.

Numbuh Four just smiled and leaned his head back in the chair to catch some sleep himself. He was pleasantly hovering between waking and repose when he heard the door open and glimpsed Kuki's outline framed in the light from the other room. She crept over to Nigel's bed and tucked him in gently, the medical officer in her providing motivation to tend him. Wally watching her, was struck by the thought that Kuki would be an amazing mother someday, and the idea while it stunned him to think it, also made him desire her with a new dimension. He waited a second for her to step back his way, and was surprised to feel a blanket being draped over himself too. She must have thought him asleep already and was caring for him as well.

He reached out and gently clasped her wrist, pulling her down onto his lap briefly, and muffling her startled cry with his mouth. He kissed her slowly, with every movement of his lips against hers deliberate and charged with non-verbal illustration of his emotions. She returned the sentiment measure for measure, and was both relieved and disappointed when the connection was severed. He whispered in her ear, his breath tickling over her skin hot, and soft.

"Good night Kooks", his voice sounded low and a little raspy in his own ears. He wondered if she heard the difference.

"I love you Wally. Good night", she pressed her lips once more to his and stood up quickly slipping from the room back into the light where the others still worked.

They had sent Lizzie to bed in Kuki's room, because she needed the sleep and also she really couldn't be of any help with the repairs. Kuki and Rachel would bunk in together in Wally's room when and if they finally crashed, and Chad would share a room with Hoagie if he got too tired to stay up. Usually one of the couches would have been his bed, but with all the work to do in this room, no one could possibly expect to sleep here. Hoagie had rigged up an air mattress in his room and Kuki had found a pillow and blanket which waited for the teen if he needed them.

Wally had appointed himself night watchman over Nigel, so he would sleep there, which is why Kuki had brought him the blanket. She was so very proud of Wally, that it actually brought tears to her eyes. He would make sure Numbuh One would be OK, they all would. And now Lizzie was here too, so maybe the boy Kuki looked up to almost as a big brother could finally find the happiness he needed and so richly deserved. She sat down in her place next to Abby working on a broken tracking device, hoping that her wish for Nigel would come true, and that whatever this conspiracy was would not keep them all from being happy again at long last. Maybe if she hoped just hard enough it would make it true...


	24. The Splinter Cell is Real

Chapter 24: "The Splinter Cell is Real"

The next few days sped by fairly quickly for the members of Sector T.V. Rachel and Chad had conducted the meeting with the team, less Numbuh One who was ordered by both of them to convalesce a few days. Everyone was still rather worried more for his mental and emotional recovery than for his physical one. His injuries were not _that_ dire, not so much so as to cause alarm. He did retain a perceived lowness in his mood, one that they knew could be the harbinger of trouble in the works.

None more than Wally knew better how the calamitous fury unleashed from inside him terrified Nigel. No one understood better than he, what having that kind of darkness in his nature could do to him. He already blamed himself for the torture inflicted on Numbuh Four by Father's hatred, and now facing the fact that he himself could be capable of such violent overthrows was enough, Wally feared, to drive the boy right over the edge. He had taken Lizzie aside and asked her to be watchful, and as comforting as she could.

"He needs to know that he isn't like his uncle Lizzie. This whole thing has been more than any of us should have had to handle and Nigel has blamed himself for all of it from the start. First with me being taken prisoner and well, I think Kuki or Abby filled you in on all that, right?", he hoped so because he didn't feel at all prepared to explain it again.

"Yes they did. I can't believe anyone could really be that cruel. I still can't get over the fact that you guys have been up against monsters like that since you were just kids", she shook her head in wonder.

"It's what we do. It's what makes Nigel who he is. He'll probably try to turn away from it now, but you have to be here to convince him not to give up. We need his help Lizzie. We have to stop whoever started this mess, and I don't think we can do it without Numbuh One", the earnest plea in the handsome young Aussie's face was more than convincing..

"I understand, Wally. I'll try to do whatever I can", she took his hand fleetingly and he turned to go and board the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. so he could go back with the others to Moon Base.

Rachel had contrived a phony mission to get them all there, so that they could work on their real objective, and Lizzie had stayed to keep Nigel company while the others launched their investigation and mission to bring down the conspirators whom they had come to regard as the Splinter Cell. At first Nigel was difficult, brooding and uncommunicative, but she slowly began to draw him back with subtle reminders of his happy years as a KND operative. The team had spent the whole of the night following his collapse repairing the damage, and even some of the shattered memorabilia had been made recognizable again.

She pointed out repeatedly, but with finesse that the mere existence of a devious faction within the group did not negate the years and years of good the whole organization had done for the children of the world. It did nothing to diminish the honor of his loyal service, and took nil from his credit in the eyes of those who admired and respected him. Just because he'd been lied to, betrayed and manipulated, by corrupted individuals did not make him any less worthy in her eyes or anyone else's who mattered.

She also took the opportunity to recall to him the happy times they'd spent together. Over the passing days, he regained his smile first, followed by his laugh, and finally he began to be anxious and restless to get back to work. He paced, and planned, and diagrammed, and spoke out loud for hours to no one in the confines of his room. Thinking and organizing were his forte and he buried himself in the undertaking. Reports of good progress had begun to flow in from the covert operation of the team, and he had started co-coordinating the mission from there in the tree-house, since Rachel would still not allow him to return to full duty yet.

On the fourth morning since the others left, Lizzie awake early, padded to his bedroom door just before sunrise and was shocked and dismayed to find him slumped over at his desk still clutching the pencil he'd been using to polish some new mission specs. She shook her head and with a soft smile laid the pencil down and draped a blanket over his thin but muscled shoulders. She then quickly moved to the kitchen and collected breakfast things for the two of them. When everything she needed was gathered she took it all out onto the open deck on the eastern side of the tree-house. Then she ran to Nigel's room again and gently roused him.

"Time to get up Nigel", she called softly. As he opened his eyes, yawned, and stretched the kinks from his neck, back and limbs she took his hand and pulling him up tugged him with her out of the room and back onto the deck once more.

Once his sleep-clouded eyes adjusted to the predawn lavender hue of the light, Nigel noticed the breakfast picnic spread out on a blanket in front of him. He looked at Lizzie with an appreciative gaze, and she blushed while rushing to tell him that she had not actually cooked any of the provender, but that cold cereal and fruit with Kuki's favorite croissants and jam would make a pretty good breakfast. She rambled on a bit without making eye contact and he felt the long ago forsaken affection he'd had for her resurface within his heart one hundred-fold. He looked down at her pretty freckled face, and then out at the sunrise splashing the sky with colors no artist could ever reproduce faithfully.

The beauty of the scene, as well as gratitude to her for helping him to get here to this place in this moment whole and with his soul almost fully restored, filled his senses and he reached for her. She still had not stopped talking and wasn't really even looking at him in her nervous chatter, so his touch made her suck a breath in sharply. He encircled her waist with his arms, and pulling her close he nudged her chin upward lowering his face to hers without giving her time to react, beyond widened eyes and raised brows. His kiss was of a much shorter duration than either of them wanted and at first she was inclined to be somewhat put out. Until that is, he spoke.

"Shut up and watch the sun rise with me, Lizzie", he purred the words down to her from deep in his throat with dark shards of charcoal shading the recesses of his chrome colored orbs. They smoldered now with sparkling white flames and her knees went weak.

With his arms still around her, Nigel guided Lizzie to a seat on the blanket and settled himself comfortably next to her. Her head dropped to his shoulder as she gazed out at the natural splendor of the sky. After a few minutes of silently spectating, Nigel brushed his hand over Lizzie's silken scarlet head, and when she sat up from leaning on him, he fed her a strawberry from the fruit bowl, and poured the cereal into the bowls. A couple of bites before finishing the meal, he lowered his spoon and spoke with years of withheld emotion in his voice.

"I am so sorry Lizzie. For everything, for neglecting you when we were together before, for realizing too late that you deserved better, for letting the Splinter Cell manipulate me and come between us, and for not saying goodbye when I left back then. I should have tried harder, I should have seen that you needed me. I – I'm sorry", he halted and looked at his hands which rested in his lap, fingers flexing as he spoke. Lizzie's hands came into his view and grasped his warmly. He lifted his eyes to hers, and saw the love and understanding shining there that he had so desperately hoped to find. Her voice drifted to him on the bright spring air, and he drank it in like a man lost in the Sahara presented with newly discovered spring water.

"I understand so much better what you do now, Nigel. I never actually grasped what it really means until now. The KND is in your blood, it makes you who you are. It gives you purpose and direction, and lets you do what you were born to do. Help kids who can't always help themselves. I am so proud of you, and more than that I... I still... I love you Nigel Uno. I never really stopped. This life is what made you into the person I love, so I want you to fight for it. Fight for your friends, fight for the KND, fight for everything that you believe in, and when you're done, come home and I'll be here", she stopped with a downward glance and once again his gentle fingers lifted her chin to show him her eyes.

He saw the tears, glimmering drops of gold, there and knew that the liquid silver in his own matched them. This time he kissed her with total abandon and thrilled at the sensation as she kissed him back with equal passion. The wind smoothed over them and his hands caught strands of living fire pinning them back to her head, while her lips seared his and her palms pressed one to the back of his neck and one against his cheek felt cool and incomparably soft. Nigel's arms felt a renewed strength and it filtered through him and refreshed him. She could actually feel his spirit reawaken as she molded into his embrace. Lizzie poured all of herself into him, and exhilarated in the knowledge that his heart was utterly and wholly hers. It was the safest, warmest place she had ever known, being in his arms. Now with the conviction that it was her home, she allowed herself the freedom to give him all of her soul, trusting in him implicitly to shelter it from harm.

When the reunited couple parted at last and finished their breakfast in pleasurable conversation studded with the laughter of true happiness, it felt to Nigel as if he'd been only half alive until this instant. He held her hands in his and told her that he had loved her without let up all this time, and she smiled bright as the sun at his confession. Just as they were gathering the picnic things together to go back inside, an alarm sounded from within, and Nigel's wrist communicator beeped. The transmission was started so abruptly that he couldn't even greet the caller.

"Numbuh One, this is Ambassador 274 calling. Do you read?"

"Affirmative sir, what can I do for you?"

"We need you at Moon Base right away, Nigel. The whole thing's gone south, and Rachel's been arrested!"

"What? Who arrested her? On what grounds? They can't just – ", Chad cut off his rant mid-thought.

"Just get here Numbuh One, and be careful. Nothing is like it used to be. Infinity has stepped in as 'Interim' Supreme Leader, and he's replaced Numbuh 86 with 74.239. He's calling himself the Second in Command for all of Moon Base! This is not over yet, and I'm afraid we're all going to find out the hard way what else they've got planned", he ended the transmission as abruptly as he'd started it, and was gone.

Nigel began to pace and rant to himself without really knowing it. Lizzie watched him, and caught snatches of his thoughts. Worries for his friends came through most, along with concerns for the future of the KND, and everything it stood for, and most vehemently his desire to bring to justice Numbuhs Infinity and 74.239. All the intelligence gathered by the team had indicated that the two of them had thus far been acting in tandem, only involving other operatives by manipulating them and giving orders that compromised them. As if that were not iniquitous enough, they had launched a smear campaign against Sector T.V., which the team had uncovered and exposed, thus preventing further damage.

If it had been allowed to continue the records of all five operatives would have been systematically destroyed and the younger members of the KND would have been fooled into betraying them all, even so far as decommissioning or dishonoring their heroes, as they had been tricked into doing to Numbuh Four. The Global Command were the most targeted for these deceptions, as Infinity and 74.239 had planned to use them to either dominate Sector T.V., or if that didn't work shut it down altogether. Removing Nigel Uno as the sector leader was just the beginning.

Lizzie called to Nigel, snapping him out of his reverie and he sprang to her and held her tightly. She could feel his fear and anger, but she also sensed that he was reluctant to leave her behind. She wasn't having that, not now when he was so desperately needed!

"Go Nigel. Go save the world for kids everywhere. I'm in your corner and I believe in you. I'll be here when you come home, so just do me a favor and come back in one piece, OK?", she gave him a watery but heartfelt smile and he held her face in his hands, kissed her softly and whispered.

"I promise", he turned away to head to his room and get the things he needed for the trip, but he suddenly stopped.

"You'd better go home to wait for me Lizzie. I'm not really sure how long I'll be gone, and besides there is still a chance that Father could come here, looking to find either Wally or me. I don't want you anywhere near him, OK?", he looked at her seriously and she nodded.

Within twenty minutes of Numbuh 274's call, Numbuh One was revving up the shuttle's engines and running through pre-flight. Lizzie stood next to him even though she could not go to Moon Base. She would disembark the shuttle before take off and was only here now to spend a few more minutes close to the boy she loved. Once the ship was readied, he stood and hugged her close. He kissed the top of her head and then her lips, whispered a goodbye, and watched her as she stepped off the boarding ramp. She would head home after he took off, and tears filled her eyes as she watched the shuttle disappear from view into the endless blue of the sky.


	25. The Plan is Set in Motion

Chapter 25: "The Plan is Set in Motion"

Numbuh One raced toward Moon Base at break-neck pace, pulling every last ounce of speed from the shuttle that wouldn't send it crumbling into fiery little bits of space dust and him along with it. His proof by his side of the Coup d'etat that Infinity planned to execute, had arrived from Numbuh Five just in time to help them. The best espionage expert in the KND, Abby had retrieved the information from Infinity's personal databank on the KND Mainframe.

She was actually assigned to give training part time at the ATB for cadets busting into the Recon/Espionage Units, thanks to her top-notch skills. She had held this position ever since stepping down as Supreme Leader. Numbuh Two was the other part time trainer in Sector T.V. Nigel, Kuki and Wally were not trainers even part time, but occasionally Patton called them to the ATB as consultants. Nigel as a Tactical Specialist and Sector Leader would be enlisted to address cadets who were interested in or had shown aptitude for those fields. Wally would do combat drills every so often, and Kuki held mini Medical/First Aid workshops. Primarily though, they left the training of cadets to Patton's people, and devoted their time to missions. That of course had changed when Numbuh Four had been taken, but Numbuh One hoped to get back to utilizing their strongest skill soon. Of course everything hinged on the exposure of Infinity's sinister agenda.

Numbuh Five had been working with Hoagie to polish her techno-espionage skills recently and the tutelage paid off for all of them. He had been so thrilled to be spending so much time with just her, that at first he had tried to covertly extend the 'lessons'. That didn't work because Abby proved to be a remarkably quick study. She had mastered all the rudimentary and intermediate hacking skills he had tasked her with in record time. Now putting those abilities to use, she had pulled enough evidence from Infinity's office and personal documents that he could never wriggle out of the grasp of justice.

74.239 was another matter entirely because he, as a scientist and tech master himself, would never leave such a blatant trail. There were no documents to procure, which bore out his involvement in the plot, either hard copy or digital format. Hoagie would have to work a whole other angle to snare him. Fortunately, Numbuh Two was good at fishing secrets out of his fellow science nerds, but since Rachel's arrest things were much more dangerous. Nigel piloted the shuttle into the docking bay hoping against hope that Hoagie had gotten what they needed in time.

Hogarth Pennywhistle Gilligan, II sat unobtrusively in the Moon Base Mess chatting casually with a few of the upper level clearance KND scientists stationed there. He made an art out of this kind of exchange, getting information, and appearing to give it without actually revealing anything useful. He _could_ have been a spy, but not if you asked Abby. If you asked Abby (which he had done), she would laugh (which she had done). Carefully stowed in the pocket of his bomber jacket, given to him by the beautiful spy he now was proud to call his girlfriend, last Christmas, was a brand new model of his latest piece of 2x4 technology christened the KND – T.W.I.T.T.E.R.

Kids Next Door – Tiny Wireless Investigative Tool Takes Excellent Recordings

Every bit of the conversation he was engaged in was being gathered into the massive memory of the deice which looked like an ordinary mechanical drafting pencil. He had modeled it that way because a drafting pencil was a common thing for him to be in possession of at all times, therefore would not arouse suspicion. With this recording to present as evidence to the Disciplinary Committee, they would have rule in favor of re-instating Rachel and they would also be forced to acknowledge the Splinter Cell existed and was currently comprised of two actively complicit members who were now gradually seizing power and gaining influence. As soon as Numbuh One got there they could end this madness. He carefully excused himself from the table after he'd gotten enough dirt, and left the Mess headed for Ambassador 274's office where the team had arranged to meet.

Rachel T. McKenzie sat alone in a holding cell awaiting the trial on trumped up charges that she had misused her authority as Supreme Leader. She knew intellectually that as soon as the Splinter Cell got wind of her involvement in the resistance against them, that there could be retaliation and that it could end her career. However the reality of being arrested charged as a traitor, and held prisoner by her accusers was harder to bear than she had thought. Particularly hard to handle was the look in her friend Fanny's eyes when she'd led the detail that put Rachel here. Unfortunately for Fanny, 74.239 coveted her position, and that was her last official act as Head of Decommissioning & Security. Rachel did not know what had happened to her after that.

Mournfully Numbuh 362 accepted the fact that it seemed that everyone was convinced that she really had let them down. It didn't help that this felt so similar to the way Chad had left his position as Supreme Leader. The trouble was many operatives who'd been around then were either decommissioned now, or deceived by Infinity's lies as much as the younger kids were. She might never regain her reputation, even if the others succeeded and the charges were dropped. If no one trusted her anymore it would all be pointless.

Her thoughts drifted back to Chad. He had been in her office warning her about the danger she was in, when the security forces had come to arrest her and he'd initial drawn on them with his weapon to prevent her being taken. He had put everything on the line for her in that moment and she had never loved him more. She had calmly reached out and placed a hand on his cheek and asked him to let it go.

"You can't help me if they arrest you too, Chad. Please, just lower your weapon and let this play out", she spoke with a softness in her tone meant only for him and her eyes shone with unshed tears.

"I can't just let them do this, Rachel. It's wrong! You haven't done anything to betray the KND. I can't let them..."

"I know. Don't worry about me, OK? I'll be fine. Do what you can and help the others expose the truth, that's what will save me", she expelled the breath she'd been unaware she'd been holding, as he slowly dropped his weapon to his side, and silently allowed the security detail to relieve him of it.

When he spoke to her, watching the operatives in Numbuh 86's top flight security force strip their Commander of her credentials and office, his voice was brimming with the painful knowledge that just what he'd feared had happened – she was the target of this humiliation because she'd agreed to help him unearth the Splinter Cell. He knew also that her involvement was probably by design after all, because Numbuh Infinity could hardly seize her position with her still rightfully in it. By default then, the GKND Ambassador had been used and maneuvered along with Numbuh One to put Rachel in the line of fire. He would personally see that Infinity paid for that – dearly.

"I love you, Rachel, I'm going to get your name cleared no matter what I have to do to make it happen. I promise", he locked his gaze on her face as she was bound and led from the Office of the Supreme Leader in shameful disgrace. As she left his sight, he heard her call back to him four words that would carry him through any obstacle.

"I love you too."

Now sitting in her lonely cell, she wondered if he and her other friends could possibly triumph over this so well entrenched threat which preyed upon the very structure of the KND, structure and traditions which made up it's foundation, and without which the whole organization would collapse. She had to trust that they would prevail, that truth and right would win out, and the KND would be restored, able to continue it's mission to liberate children everywhere from adult tyranny. To accept any other outcome was not an option – _failure_ was not an option.

Numbuh One made his way past countless new 'security' checkpoints where he was poked, scanned, prodded, and questioned by operatives whose faces showed their regret at treating him so suspiciously. He was simply trying to get to Chad's office without the wrong people getting a hold of his file of evidence. Just when he thought he was in the clear, he saw the last person he wanted to see stepping toward him. It would not be possible to avoid a conversation, the dreaded Numbuh Infinity was looking straight at him as he approached, meeting his newly exposed enemy face to face was now a certainty.

"Numbuh One, I am glad to see you here. I am sure you have heard of the disappointing betrayal of our cause by Numbuh 362", he watched Nigel's face, but the sunglasses hid the sector leader's contempt.

"Yes sir, I have heard. I trust there is to be a full inquiry, so that no mistakes are made?"

"Oh I assure you, no mistakes are being made. Traitors must be decommissioned immediately and that is what I will make sure takes place. Before she can sway any loyal operatives into supporting her and causing division, I plan to send a message to all that makes it crystal clear what betraying the KND brings to _anyone_ who tries", he words sounded noble and worthy and there was a time when Nigel would have supported him unquestioningly, trusted him. That time was over, and now the true greedy ambition in the former diplomat's voice sickened him.

"We should arrange to meet soon Numbuh One, to discuss your place in the restructuring of the organization. After all if we are to continue, we must grow and that means change", he stepped past Nigel and headed down the hall on his original path and Nigel was grateful that he had not turned to see the salute that his new rank as Interim Supreme Leader demanded. It was doubtful that Numbuh One would have been able to compel his arm in that kind for Numbuh Infinity ever again.

He started out on his course toward Ambassador 274's office replaying the conversation in his mind. Had there been a threat laced in all the false nobility of purpose? A warning that he too would face decommissioning as a penalty to opposition? He believed there was. Numbuh Infinity had worked out the details of Rachel's fall from grace perfectly. There would be no game of TAG to choose a new Leader, because the only one who could start that process was the current SL. She was no longer authorized to do so due to the accusations laid at her feet. As the highest ranking operative after Rachel, Infinity had made a spectacle of taking up the post, as a humble and service minded, self-sacrificing act for the good of all childkind. He was bestowed the title to the thunderous applause of the audience who were sucked in and believed he would step down graciously once Rachel had been tried and Global Command could choose a new Leader.

Upon reaching the office, Numbuh One was surprised to see Numbuhs Three and Four already there. They seemed to be involved in a rather animated discussion with Chad, but it was unclear who was making a stronger case, or if anyone was making one at all. He listened, and found that they were addressing the latest developments.

"We can't just let them waltz right in and take everything we've built and twist it into something like this. The KND has always been a place where kids could get together and help each other and not have to worry about having to be someone they're not. The rules that Infinity is setting up make it almost impossible for the operatives who stay to do the one thing they're supposed to do. Be kids", Chad had been speaking and now Wally spoke up too. None of them had heard Nigel enter.

"It's really getting bad when they send transmissions banning Rainbow Dor-, I mean Monkeys from the tree-houses. The message said they were not KND approved for use inside tree-house bases. I mean what is this guy's problem? I may think they're totally stupid, but that doesn't mean Kuki... I mean operatives who do like 'em should be told they can't have 'em around. It's like he's trying to force everyone to act like adults before their time", he stopped and blushed when Kuki squeezed his hand.

"That's exactly what he's doing, Numbuh Four. Infinity is in league with a group of enemy adults who have recruited him to bring down the KND from the inside. He talked Numbuh 74.239 into helping him by promising him higher rank and more authority over the science program and research facilities. Now it seems they have expanded on that somewhat to encompass most of Moon Base operations. The communications that Numbuh Five was able to intercept only directly implicate Numbuh Infinity. According to this, the adults promised him control of the KND if he brought it under their operational protocols, all of which are adult initiatives designed to force kids and teens to 'behave ourselves'. They are systematically trying to turn the KND into exactly the thing we are sworn to fight – a massive organized way to control and tyrannize kids", Numbuh One's really strong leader's voice had not been heard by his friends in a very long time, and only now confronted with the resurgence of his confidence did they truly notice how far down he'd gotten before.

Kuki jumped from her seat and through her arms around her 'big brother' and hugged him so tightly that he couldn't breathe. Nigel really didn't expect this, and he was a little slow to respond. After it seemed that Kuki would never let go, he glanced at Wally who was looking on with an amused smirk and getting no help from there, Nigel finally just decided that the best thing to do would be to hug her back. As soon as Kuki felt him embrace her in return, she loosened her vice grip, giggled a welcome back, and sat back down next to Wally. Chad simply waited this little display out with an understanding eye. Everyone knew Kuki and her penchant for death-grip hugs.

"Now as I said, what I have here only gives us enough to go after Numbuh Infinity and believe me that is not going to be easy. I saw him in the hall on the way here and he made it very clear to me that he will see to it that anyone who opposes him gets decommissioned for their trouble", Numbuh One looked grimly at the others and they all nodded and expressed understanding of the risks. He continued on, with his features set in a determined expression.

"Once Hoagie brings us the proof we need to implicate Numbuh 74.239, then the real task is going to be going public with what we know, before Infinity can do something to stop us. We have to get the information to all the KND at once if we can so that there can be no chance for misunderstanding, rumor, and hearsay to derail the course of justice", he paused and Numbuh Four added something that had not occurred to the others yet.

"What I'm worried about is what Infinity might do if he gets wind of all this and feels cornered. He could be dangerous if he gets his adult friends involved. We have to neutralize him first somehow. Keep him form being a threat once he's exposed. I still think Father is in on this somehow, and if Infinity were to bring him here now, it could get bad real fast. He's a lot more insidious now than he used to be, ya know", he broke off genuinely worried and looked at Kuki. His concern was predominantly for keeping her safe and if Father returned to Moon Base none of them would be safe.

"We better break this up before anyone get suspicious, guys", Kuki said. Something in her voice made Wally very nervous, but he couldn't place it. He resolved to ask her later.

Just as they were about to close the clandestine meeting Numbuh Two burst in looking very white, and breathing hard.

"Numbuh Two! What's wrong? Did you get the proof we need?", Numbuh One asked with concern in his voice.

"Yeah I got it, right here", he held out the TWITTER and pressed down on the eraser. The recording started to play and they were all very curious to hear it. However, Numbuh Two abruptly switched the device off again and this made the others all look at him questioningly. On seeing the terrified look in his gentle blue eyes, Kuki was the first to realize the only thing that could make Hoagie look like he did now.

"Numbuh Two, did something happen to Numbuh Five?", she asked the question so softly that the words were barely discernible.

"She's gone. Disappeared. I can't find her, no one has seen her, and she's not answering my calls to her communicator", Hoagie's voice shook with worry and Wally stood and put an encouraging hand on his shoulder.

"What if she's hurt? What if they did something to her? What if Father took her like Wally?", he was quickly becoming hysterical and despite the reassurances his friends gave, Hoagie just couldn't let himself trust that she was safe. If she was OK, she'd have answered when he called.

"Alright. This is what we are going to do. Numbuh One, do you have more than one copy of that file?", Chad asked, taking control of the situation be fore rising panic could overwhelm them all.

"Yes sir. Abby has a copy, and I have two. One here, and one that I am planning on taking back to the tree-house with me. It can be stored in the Tree-house of Coolness with the Book of KND. No one can get to it there, not even Infinity himself", Numbuh One replied.

Kuki sniffled in her chair, worried about her friend and Wally stepped behind her and put his hands on he shoulders, rubbing them to comfort her. He hated to see her upset, but he was pretty sure this was not Father's work which is what everyone was so afraid of. He was more inclined to suspect Infinity or someone under his orders had detained her, and if she did have the evidence file on her, then they could lose their chance. However, he did not say anything because Chad started speaking again, this time to Hoagie.

"What about you Numbuh Two, did you back up the recording you made?", he waited and the Tech Specialist spoke with a thick voice.

"Yes I backed it up. There is a copy here, and one that I transmitted to Tommy's email account on my way here. He is not in the KND, and I don't think they'll trace his account. Even if they did, Tommy is going to make another back-up copy and send it somewhere else too. He is not going to tell me or anyone else where so that we'll have leverage to bargain with... if we need it", he stopped and looked down clearly still very worried about Abby.

"OK, troops. We've gone everything we can for now. I'll take care of arranging a meeting system-wide as soon as I can, and I'll try to think of a way to get Infinity out of the way. I'll contact you when I have something. You just concentrate on staying under the radar and finding Numbuh Five", he saluted them as they stood to go, and they all returned the gesture and filed out toward the docking bay, to head back to the tree-house.

Nigel's shuttle, he'd pilot back himself as long as Hoagie was up to piloting the rest of them home in the waiting S.C.A.M.P.E.R. When asked, Hoagie said that he was fine to fly. Once they were gone, Chad left his office to check on Rachel and fill her in on the plan. He wanted most of all to see how she was holding up and give her some hope.

"Maybe Numbuh Five is already back home, Numbuh Two", Kuki offered sweetly trying to be of comfort to her friend.

"Maybe she is, Numbuh Three. Maybe she is", his voice showed what his words did not. He was too worried to hope that it was true. Too worried to believe that she was really OK until he could see her for himself. One thing was certain, if she was not OK, if she had been harmed in any way at all, whoever was responsible would regret ever being born, he'd see to that.

**PREVIEW:** Chapter 26: "The Splinter Cell is Ended"


	26. The Splinter Cell is Ended

Chapter 26: "The Splinter Cell is Ended"

The four members of Sector T.V. who had collected together in Numbuh 274's office beat a hasty retreat now to the docking bay where the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. awaited them. While they all moved quickly, none could quite keep up with Hoagie. He was a man on a mission. Hopeful within himself to find some sign of Abby's whereabouts, he rushed to the ship to see if anything he could find could lead him to her. At last Numbuh One had reached the end of his patience in trying to keep up. He stopped trying to catch Hoagie and signaled to the others to slacken their pace. He wanted to find Numbuh Five as much as the rest, but he did not see how running to the ship like this could help. It could only draw additional and unwanted attention to them. He called to his friend as he rushed onward as though he were being chased.

"Numbuh Two!"

Hoagie slowed his pace and turned. When he saw that the others had stopped advancing with Nigel at the front of them, he started back to find out what the delay was about. He was more than a little exasperated at it, and when he spoke his frustration showed.

"What are you guys waiting for? Let's go!"

"We don't need to run Numbuh Two. It won't help, and it's more than likely that it could hurt", Numbuh One silently cursed the goggles that stopped him from being able to read his friend's eyes.

"How do you know that it won't help to run? What if Abby's hurt? What if it's like before? If we'd gotten outside faster that night then we might've been able to save Wally, you've said so yourself", he stopped waiting for the answers, choosing to disregard the part about their running doing some kind of harm. That just didn't make sense.

"I don't _know_ any of those things for sure. I do know that running through here like we're being hunted will draw attention to us, and that we don't need. If Infinity were to suspect us, he could toss us all in a decommissioning chamber without blinking and then where would Numbuh Five be if she _is_ in trouble?", Nigel stopped and lay a hand on Hoagie's arm as he looked down.

"I guess you're right Numbuh One. I'm sorry guys, I'm just really – worried", he fiddled with the zipper on his jacket and turned to start walking again along side the others without ever raising his eyes. Wally spoke to him quietly as they stepped through the docking bay doorway.

"I'm sure she's OK, Numbuh Two, Abby's tough and she's quick. Anyone who came after her would have a lot to handle. She'll be fine", he looked at his friend and knew by the slump to the boy's shoulders that the words were hollow. Meaningless.

He couldn't blame Hoagie at all. He could only imagine what he'd be like if Kuki was missing... the thought made his stomach turn over and he reached out and caught her hand tightly. She smiled up at him and he felt a little better. Numbuh One and his teammates reached their ships only to find that they were blocked all round by security officers. Nigel stepped up to one of them and demanded a report as to why the detail found it necessary to guard his sector's transports. The younger boy explained that there had been some suspicious activity near the vessels and to prevent anyone's tampering with them, the security force had been deployed. When Numbuh One questioned him about the type and source of the supposed breach, the other boy stated that he was not authorized to disclose details.

"I presume then that if everything is fine, my sector and I will be permitted to board our ships and go home as planned?", he asked the young dark-haired boy in front of him with some palpable annoyance in his tone.

"Yes sir you and the rest of Sector T.V. are authorized to go whenever you're ready, sir", the boy stepped aside and saluted as Numbuh One and the others boarded their vessels and he and his fellows watched as the engines fired to life and the sounds of pre-flight began.

Numbuh One's shuttle was closer to them and he boarded it first. He tuned his headset to the frequency that would allow him to reach the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. during the flight home. He then began readying for take off. On board the larger vessel, the others had just piled in and begun to take their seats when a voice was heard coming from behind the old cabinetry which comprised the side instrument panel. All six startled optics shot in the direction of the sound.

"It's about time you three got here. Numbuh Five thought she was gonna have to hide out on this empty tin can all day and all night", the tall poised spy stepped from the shadows which had concealed her from their sight at first. A small smile graced her features, but was quickly replaced by a look of alarm and surprise that just as quickly changed again to an expression of affection.

Upon hearing the voice he had been longing for since he'd first believed her to be missing, Hoagie launched himself from the pilot's chair leaving it spinning nearly off of it's pedestal. Traversing the length of the ship in about four strides, he threw all caution, propriety, and concern he may have had for his image out the window. He grabbed Abby around the waist and lifted her off the ground with a shout of unadulterated joy beyond compare. He held her tightly in his arms and kissed her with everything he had. Wally and Kuki turned away to give the pair some privacy and it was a good thing too because Hoagie had not stopped kissing her yet. After the initial shock of being literally swept off her feet, Abby decided she liked this bold, demonstrative side to Hoagie and made up her mind to show him her appreciation. She folded her arms around his neck, elbows resting on his shoulders, wrists crossed at the nape where her fingers played in his auburn locks. She deepened the kiss and brought her hands around to caress his face as he lowered her at last to the floor.

Abby looked at him for a fraction of a second with hazy loving eyes before he startled her out of her stooper and shocked everyone with his ire. His hand flew up and ripping his goggles off his head with some hair along with them, he dashed them to the floor and his eyes, which had been passionate only moments ago, grew dark and irate. He yelled at her more as a release of his fears than actual anger, but nonetheless his words stung and reflexively the young girl stepped back.

"How could you do this to me? I have been trying to find you, trying to call you on your communicator, worried sick over where you might have been, and you – you were here all this time?", he panted heavily but did not pause long enough for her to reply.

"Didn't you think I might wonder where you were? Didn't it occur to you that I, that we'd all be scared for you after what we went through with Wally?", this time he swung his arm in the direction of the Australian boy for emphasis. Never taking his eyes of her face, he continued once more.

"I thought you might be hurt somewhere, or that you'd been captured and arrested by Infinity, or worse I thought that Father might've taken you!", he suddenly stopped shouting, brought shaking hands up to his forehead pressing the heels of them against the burning in his eyes, and looked down away from her, unwilling to meet her stare.

The dark skinned beauty in front of him stood silent during his tirade, and once he had expended his anger and fear she wrapped her arms around him silently and softly rubbing his back, she felt his shoulders slump and his head come to rest on her shoulder. She felt the tiny shudders of his tears, and whispered so that only he could hear, and kissed his cheek.

"Abby's sorry she worried you, baby.", then she raised her voice to a level that the others could hear, grateful when Hoagie seemed to calm down and that his eyes were forgiving.

She spoke as he picked up his goggles and replaced them, sitting down in his seat again to pilot the ship. Wally had engaged the auto-pilot during the kiss and through the outburst just to get them moving before Numbuh One could hail them wondering why they were so far behind.

"Numbuh Five knows she should've answered her communicator, but I didn't want those security officers to find me, so Abby turned it off. I think I was being followed, and if who ever it was had found me they might've gotten the file Abby was carryin' for Numbuh One", she looked at them all and each face showed that they understood. She stepped up behind Numbuh Two as he guided the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. back to earth with expert finesse, mussed his hair with her fingers, and leaned down to once more to whisper in his ear.

"I am sorry, baby. It is good to know you care, though", she glanced down at him and noted the splash of pink on his nose. He heaved a slightly shuddering sigh, and replied.

"I do Abbs, I really, really do. Please don't ever scare me like that again. I can't take it", he quickly focused on the instruments and readings in front of him to avoid getting emotional again.

"Abby won't baby, Abby won't", was her soft reply as she took her seat and worked her own station's controls.

Back at Kids Next Door Moon Base Headquarters, Ambassador 274 had been to the detention area to see Numbuh 362. He had filled her in as much as he dared, and she seemed to brighten some. The gloomy mood pervaded the detention area, but as long as he stood opposite the bars of her cell, still free and advancing her cause, then Rachel could hold out. As he turned to go, concerned with the potential repercussions of staying too long with someone commonly believed to be a traitor, Chad reached one hand through the bars, cupped her cheek, and reassured her that everything would work out alright.

"It won't be long now, Rachel. Hang in there", he lowered his hand and she felt the warmth leave her skin, causing her to shiver. This gave him pause and he questioned her to see if she was well. Her reply was soft, but strong and it convinced him

"I'm OK, I really am. Just a little cold is all", she smiled at him and waved him off to transmit the summons for all operatives to convene immediately for an emergency meeting.

A meeting that he would call under false pretenses to keep Infinity and 74.239 off their guard. He had transmitted the contents of the file and recording as well as a report of his own to Galactic High Command and they were to send a security detachment to provide back up when the two traitorous members of the deceitful, and greedy Splinter Cell were arrested. Sector T.V. would assist in the arrest, so he'd need to summon them back as soon as possible. He only hoped they'd located Numbuh Five so they'd be focused when the time came.

As soon as he made it back to his office the transmission was sent to every operative in the Super Incredibly Big Computer-ma-bob, except Infinity and 74.239. He'd left them out of the loop so that he could bring them up to speed in person. He had to keep them on the stage with him if the others were to have any chance to arrest them, but doing that would mean they'd have to believe the meeting was something in their favor. He drew his palms over the cloth of his uniform trouser legs to prevent his nerves from giving him away if either of the two decided to shake his hand. Entering the code outside the Supreme Leader's office, _Rachel's Office! _he quickly stepped up to the desk where Numbuh Infinity sat and with the most enthusiastic salute he could muster began to lay his snare. Numbuh 74.239 stood just to the right of Infinity's chair looking on silently.

"Numbuh Infinity Sir! It is my honor, as Galactic Kids Next Door Ambassador to this Solar System, to inform you that a meeting has been called by Galactic High Command. At this meeting, which is to take place at 20 hundred hours tonight, I will have the pleasure of bestowing upon you sir, and Numbuh 74.239 the recognition you so richly deserve for your recent achievements as our leaders. Galactic High Command has ordered that all active operatives be present to witness this historic moment and a transmission has been sent to every tree-house to that end. I requested and was granted the honor of informing you in person and my superior officer has directed me to act as Master of Ceremonies tonight. Congratulations sir!", he stood beaming at the boys across the desk from him and smiled at each in turn as they expressed their ambitious excitement.

_Right into my hands...They fell right into my hands._ Numbuh Infinity dismissed him, and Chad turned to go finish preparation for the biggest gamble of his life. Everything that had ever matter to him was at stake.

A few hours later, Sector T.V. was boarding the C.O.O.L.B.U.S. for the return trip to Moon Base. Everyone was very excited and agitated gearing up for the possibility of a battle. Fighting adult enemies and Teen Ninjas was one thing, but this could quickly escalate into something far less enjoyable. If any of the operatives at the base were to remain mistakenly loyal to Infinity, it could be a case of brother fighting brother, fellow operatives forced to battle and even maybe hurt one another. That would be a thing unheard of in the history of the KND and the team hoped intensely that it would never actually come to pass.

"Well team, is everyone ready?", Nigel questioned them as Numbuh Two landed the vehicle in the Moon Base docking bay.

All answers came back in the affirmative so he set his jaw grimly and led his team out of the bay toward the Auditorium where the future of the KND, the future of everything he'd loved would be decided once and for all. He entered the large open space of the room and relying on his team to quickly disperse as planned to block any escape attempt by either traitor, he took up his own position next to the Podium from which Numbuh 274 would speak to the audience of thousands of kid and teen level members. They had begun to file in already and most were in their seats chatting pleasantly with no idea what they were about to hear.

Chad himself entered a few minutes later and Nigel was gratified to see that Numbuh 362 had been brought from her incarceration to hear and view proceedings as well. She was thankfully not still shackled, though she was guarded by two security officers at each elbow. She stood in the wings, out of view of the gallery waiting for the right moment to enter and re-claim her title, her position, her life's work. He could see the look in her eyes of determination, but there was also a trace of fear present there that pained him.

A hush fell over the collected Kids Next Door as the highly respected Numbuh 274 took his place at the microphone to address them. The operatives looked on at their new Supreme Leader and his Second in Command seated in chairs just off center stage. Some of the spectators wondered briefly about the large entourage of body guards which surrounded them. They had never needed that high of security at Moon Base before. What could there be to fear? Unaware that they were actually seeing the force poised to take down the traitorous pair once Chad had finished his speech, before they could inflict any further harm with their greed and selfishness.

"My fellow Kids Next Door, we have come here today for a historic purpose. There have been many changes in recent days to our beloved brotherhood. These changes have been solely due to the efforts of two operatives – Numbuh Infinity and Numbuh 74.239", he he paused for effect and the listeners murmured amongst themselves. _Ah, so they aren't all so thrilled with the difference after all._ Having anticipated cheers, Numbuh Infinity glowered in his seat, but made no move to either rise from it or speak.

"I am here bound to present to you, my comrades, evidence of a sinister plot to destroy everything we've built and serve to protect. The Kids Next Door as we have known it is being systematically and deliberately dismantled and I with a small group of resistors have brought you here to present the truth so that you might all bear witness against our common offenders. The parties responsible for this betrayal will this day be brought to account for their actions!", Chad paused again and Rachel, along with everyone else remembered why he'd been known as the best operative ever in his time in the field.

He was still one inspiring leader. The powerful way he spoke to them attested to that fact without question. Numbuh 74.239 had begun to squirm in his seat and even Infinity looked like a caged rat. Chad continued and at the appointed time in his oratory, the security force trained their weapons on the malefactors and quickly bound them to stand as the evidence of their crimes was presented. Infinity started to attempt to run, but came face to face with Nigel's chili pepper gun and changed his mind.

Numbuh 74.239 was less than courageous as well and began immediately to blubber and babble on about being tricked, and none of this being his idea, just following Infinity's orders, and other nonsensical hooey. When he tried to scurry off stage and disappear, he found the angry eyes and expertly trained weapon of Numbuh Two in his path. One look at the face of the renowned scientist and 2x4 Technology expert, and Numbuh 74.239 knew precisely what he faced if he moved another inch. Hoagie was still looking for someone to punish for his scare over Abby and as far as he was concerned this traitor would do just fine. Let him try to run and see how far he gets. Taking him down, the hard way, would be therapeutic. Even better it'd be fun and make him a hero!

"Listen now, and see on the ginormous view-screen, the compiled evidence as here presented. These are accurate and true facts, so prepare yourselves for a shocking list of infractions and remember this day and these two criminals well. For the day we forget what greed, ambition, and the selfish thirst for personal advancement can do, is the day we become our own worst enemies. The day we become like the adults! Never forget this day, Kids Next Door, never forget what we stand together for! Never forget that – KIDS NEXT DOOR RULES!"

Chad stepped back from the podium and watched the screen with the rest with a confident posture and a look of satisfaction on his face. Once the presentation had concluded he motioned to Nigel to take the floor and stepped off stage to greet Rachel who was now preparing to resume her duties. The two young security officers at her side had stepped back a stride or two and snapped to attention as soon as her innocence had been confirmed. They now saluted both the teenage leaders, and smiled broadly when Chad clasped her in his arms in relief and gladness that the nightmare was finally ended.

Rachel herself was overjoyed as well but almost more powerful than that sensation, was depth of pride she felt in watching the boy she loved do what he was born to do – lead. She laughed as he lifted her off the ground in his exuberance and kissed him quickly before walking out before the audience as Nigel had finished his introduction. The room shook with the welcome the operatives gave her and every one present stood, and cheered, and applauded until Rachel was finally obliged to raise her hands for silence. They collectively remained standing and universally saluted her throughout her short speech.

"Thank you Numbuh One. I appreciate the efforts of Sector T.V. and Ambassador 274 in resolving this threat so thoroughly. They are all to be commended! I stand before you now as your former Supreme Leader and I ask one thing of you as I gratefully resume the position you have all trusted me to hold. I ask as did Numbuh 274, that you never forget how close we came to losing this", she extended her hands to encompass the room.

"How close we came to allowing ourselves to be manipulated, and used, and bullied into forgetting everything that matters. The cause matters of course, but never forget that the people who stand beside us in this fight matter more. We each matter. The Kids Next Door would be nothing without the bravery, intelligence, resilience, and and unique talents of each and every one of you. Keep that uniqueness, love and respect each other for it, and always remember – KIDS NEXT DOOR RULES!"

The prisoners were escorted out to waiting Galactic Kids Next Door vessels, carefully disguised to conceal them from the majority of the operatives who still remained unaware of it's existence. Once they were safely away, Sector T.V. bid farewell to their friends, Numbuhs 362 and 274 and themselves boarded the C.O.O.L.B.U.S. for home. Everyone was relieved, tired, and very happy to have ensured the future of the KND for years to come. The smiling faces of each member of the famous and beloved sector were the last images Rachel saw as they launched and flew out of the bay doors into the dark star field between the moon and the earth.


	27. Still Strong, Still Sector TV

**Author's Notes:**

**OK so you know what I said about this being the last chapter? Well. I am not sure it is now. I think I might need a little more to wrap this up nicely. Although, it might not be a very long chapter. I just couldn't resist stopping this one where I did. You'll see when you get there. **

**Also I wanted to apologize for the issue with what happened to Numbuh 74.239 in the last chapter, I somehow lost a whole section, so if you were wondering I am sorry and I fixed it, so feel free to go back and re-read that part before you start here. **

**Hopefully I will post the final installment later today, because I am writing it now. I am having internet connection issues, though so don't be surprised if it takes me longer than I thought. Enjoy this one, and as always please review so I'll have a reason to live! ;) **

Chapter 27: "Still Strong, Still Sector (T) V" – Part I:

The five reunited heroes of Kids Next Door Sector T.V. filed silently into their tree-house headquarters feeling at once exhilarated and exhausted. They had fought a long, hard battle and suffered greatly, but at the end of the day the kids of the world and the galaxy beyond it were better off for their sacrifices. None of them could honestly claim to be the innocent, wide-eyed youngsters that they once had been. Gone were the days when video games, ice-cream, and candy were the only priorities. They were battle-hardened warriors now, still strong, still Sector (T)V, but they were older inside now in spite of themselves.

Nigel smiled at his friends as they moved off to various areas of the tree-house to find relaxation and stress release. Kuki and Wally were inseparable, curled up together on the couch chatting while they tried to find something to watch on television. Hoagie was following Abby like a shadow, as though she might vanish at any moment. So closely in fact, that she was going to get cagy soon. Nigel chuckled to himself when her voice came to his ears ordering Numbuh Two to his own room, so she could get a little peace. Numbuh One watched with sympathetic pleasure as Hoagie came into his view looking somewhat downcast and then Abby appeared behind him with a gentle smile playing on her lips as she gazed at his slumped, retreating shoulders. She reached out a graceful hand and grazed the aviator's ear with her fingers. This caused him to stop dead in his tracks and turn toward her. Nigel moved away from the two of them to his own room, giving them the seclusion they needed for Abby to make it up to Hoagie for her harsh words and for terrifying him so badly while they were at the Moon Base.

He had his own personal life to tend, after all. He walked to his room tired, but so much lighter than just a day or two before. He sat on the edge of his bed kicking off his boots, as he dialed the number he'd committed to memory long ago. The voice on the other end was music to his ears, the change from their childhood was almost uncanny; it was so much more mellow and soothing. He'd known she had it in her then, but he was glad now that she'd managed to make it the norm.

"Lizzie? It's Nigel. I just wanted you to know we're home"

"Is everything OK, Nigel?"

"Yes, everything's fine. We defeated the Splinter Cell, and the culprits have been arrested. The KND and kids everywhere will be safer now from adult tyranny. Listen Lizzie, I was wondering if you'd like to, I mean that is unless you –", he stumbled over the right words and finally stopped altogether.

"I am so proud of you Nigel! And yes I would love to go out with you again. I was hoping you'd ask me, so if that's what you were trying to say before, then I'd love to. Wait, that _is_ what you were going to say right?", now it was Lizzie's turn to stop, fearing she'd jumped to the wrong conclusion.

When there was no reply she really started to worry. What if what happened during the picnic had only been a reaction to the stress he'd been under at the time? What if he hadn't meant the things he'd said, or maybe he was going to say something else now, and she'd scared him off? She tried again to get his attention.

"Nigel? Are you there? Nigel?", still nothing.

Then when the reply did come she nearly jumped right out of her skin. The voice was so close and it was definitely not coming from within the phone. She looked up startled and dropped the handset to the floor with a thud. There at the sill of her open bedroom window was Nigel Uno himself, smiling and peering at her from over the top of his sunglasses. He faced her with a look that conveyed the unspoken question and then he swung himself into the room with practiced smoothness in his movements. Years of KND physical training had given him a cat-like agility. He stepped closer to her and taking her hands he gently pulled her up to stand in front of him.

"I thought I might do better in person", he spoke at last and she looked up at him with surprise as he removed the sunglasses and tossed them over onto her bed.

He took her face in his hands with the caution of one charged with the care a priceless object and delving deep in to her amber tinted orbs his words rumbled from deep in his chest and shook her to her core. She was very grateful that he was standing close because the timber of his voice made her lightheaded and her hands rose to his chest for balance. He seemed to note her unsteadiness and looped one strong arm behind her lashing her to him while he brushed little feathery circles on her cheek with the thumb of his free hand. Again he spoke, and again she felt as though her knees had been turned to gelatin and her spine to a mere string no bones at all.

"I'm here to take my beautiful girlfriend on a date. That is if she'll agree to be my girlfriend again", he smiled and when she could breathe she nodded.

That tone, and the look in his eyes of white-hot flame completely halted all her cerebral activity, left her speechless and completely overcome. He slowly leaned toward her and the air crackled around them as his lips met hers in an urgent and fervent clash of more than lips. This was the blending of two lost halves to one whole. Nigel finally felt free. He was where he was meant to be, and nothing would ever take that feeling away again if he could still draw breath. Lizzie was swept away in the moment, feeling all the things she'd longed for when she'd been out with the others during her time away at school. Nothing could have prepared her for this. He really did still love her, and she was determined to be the supportive and loyal girlfriend she should have been before. Even at so young an age, she'd known that the way she was behaving wasn't right, that Nigel really didn't deserve it. At the time though, she just didn't know how to stop. When felt she could handle no more delight and pulled her face back from his, she asked him a quiet question with a trembling voice.

"Where are we going for this date Nigel?", with her head nestled in the curve of his neck and her arms draped loosely over his shoulders, she sounded small.

He smiled into her hair, as he whispered the reply and was not disappointed when she gasped at his words, "To the stars, my love. To the stars."

Part II:

Abby and Hoagie had long since come to their understanding and they joined Wally and Kuki in the living room for a late movie. The four operatives were so engrossed in the imagery on the screen, that they did not register Numbuh One and his flame haired companion as they passed through the room hand in hand and out again to the hanger. Nigel was not only waxing poetic with his 'star' reference, he intended to take Lizzie up in his shuttle and show her the stars closer than she'd ever seen them. The experience was both exciting and thrillingly romantic for each of them. The rapture on Lizzie's face at the sight was enough to make Nigel happier than he'd ever imagined and he was slightly morose at the end of the flight because it could not be endless. He kissed her goodnight when he dropped her off at home, and she went up to bed completely at peace for the first time in her sixteen plus years.

The ensuing weeks flew by for the friends in sector T.V. They had returned to mission rotation, Wally had resumed his fitness training and the exercise was gradually healing his body and his psyche too. Kuki was nearly completely recovered from her own traumatic stress, Hoagie had invented more 2x4 technology than ever before, and Abby was once more her happy, relaxed and level-headed self. Her biggest problem now was refereeing her boyfriend and his best pal when they played video games and neither could agree on the legitimate winner. None of them could compare to Nigel, as by far he seemed the most changed member of the team. He smiled, and laughed, and made time for his friends more than he ever had before. He spent plenty of time with Lizzie too, and their relationship flourished with the passing days.

One of the better days dawned not long after the team had all turned seventeen. They decided to spend the day at Wally's pool to relax a bit now that school was officially over for another year. The Beatles had finally convinced Wally that a pool full of sand was not the way to go, and it had been cleared out, cleaned, and re-filled with refreshingly cool water. Everyone was having a nice time, laughing and splashing when Wally made a comment that lightened everyone's hearts even more so than the bright summer day could do.

"Ya know somethin' guys? I think Father must have given up on comin' after us for now", he looked at them in turn and then concluded.

"I suppose he decided we aren't really worth his time, or somethin' like that", he looked relaxed and happy. Nigel responded with a simple, yet not too depressing warning.

"We will always have to remain vigilant when it comes to Father, team. If Wally's right and he has really backed – off for now, than we have to assume that he will eventually make his move when he thinks he can defeat us", he stopped and adjusted his sunglasses higher on his nose.

"Numbuh Five says, Father better not try comin' after us again! He'll get what he deserves if Abby ever gets her hands on him that's for sure!", Hoagie chuckled and agreed with her that as long as the team was together, Father would have a much harder time beating them than before.

"That's right Numbuh One, we're all together now. No villain can stop us as long as we're together!", Kuki's cheerful optimism was contagious and soon the group was happily enjoying the pool again.

Lizzie slipped her hand in Nigel's as he sat at the Beatles picnic table watching his closest and dearest friends playing and laughing in the sunshine. She had noticed a flicker of sadness in the boy's graphite eyes and she was curious as to the cause. When she spoke he seemed startled at the sound as though he'd been miles away. She directed her soft-spoken words just to him.

"What's wrong Nigel? Before you just say 'nothing' and start ignoring my questions, I know you better than that, so don't bother. Something is upsetting you and I want to know what it is right now mister", her voice held a hint of laughter, but some genuine concern. He couldn't put it off any longer, he had to tell her.

"I'm sorry Lizzie, I should have said something sooner. Come with me for a minute, I don't want to ruin their day", he nodded toward the four teens laughing happily in the water sparkling in the summer sun. As they wandered away from the group Abby looked up and watch Nigel put his arm around Lizzie and smiled. Then she playfully ducked Hoagie under the water, goggles and all. After several seconds of silence, Lizzie turned toward her boyfriend and implored him with her eyes to confide in her. When he did speak at last, his voice held regret and sadness but she was certain that there was a trace of excitement too.

"I have to leave, Lizzie. The Galactic Kids Next Door have called me up to serve in a new assignment. I got the communication last week with the orders inside, but I couldn't bring myself to say anything. I wanted to stay with you for as long as possible... you and the others", he halted and looked down until he felt her palm graze his cheek. He leaned into the touch and his eyes slid closed drinking it in.

"Is this assignment important Nigel?", she asked softly looking up at him.

"They seem to think so, I don't know...", he hesitated and looked away, wishing he didn't have to have this conversation.

Wishing he didn't have to leave, while part of him was aching to go back out there. He knew he needed to be a part of something big like the GKND, needed to be useful, to fight for something like he needed air to breathe. The thing he couldn't reconcile was why it hurt so much to go when it also felt like the right thing to do. Lizzie could sense his turmoil and she knew it was up to her to send him out into the fray with the knowledge that the rest of them would always be there for him whenever he came home.

"Nigel Uno. What did I tell you the last time you didn't want to leave me behind while you went and did what you had to do? I told you then that I'd be here when you came home and I will this time too", she paused just a second and added; "And if it's the rest of them you're worried about, just turn around and look at them. They. Will. Be. Fine. I know you'll miss us, and we'll miss you like crazy, but we'll be OK", she had reached up and carefully lifted his sunglasses upward onto his head while she'd spoken to reveal his eyes. She wanted to see if she was getting through to him or not.

"I know you'll be OK Lizzie, that's just it. I want you to be OK, I _don't_ want you to wait for me. I have no idea when or if I might be able to come home. It could be years, or it could be never and I don't want you to waste your life because of me. The others have each other, and they'll support themselves, but with you it's different. You'd be alone", he sounded so sad and so very young in that moment, she was reminded of the boy who years ago first caught her eye with his sweet and giving nature and winning smile.

"Nigel, I know what you're trying to do and I appreciate it. I really do. I'll do my best to live my life and make it a happy one, but I won't promise to let you go or to stop waiting for you. I made that mistake once, and I will never make it again. I will be here _when_ you come home, believing that you will, no matter what", there was a conviction in her voice that told him that further argument would be fruitless. He kissed the tears from her eyes softly, turning with a wistful smile back toward the group in the pool just as Abby called to him from across the yard.

"Come on Numbuh One! Abby don't know 'bout you, but she's getting ready to go back to the tree-house", she stopped and Hoagie chimed in.

"Yeah, Numbuh One! You two love birds can see each other anytime, so let's go", he grinned and Abby whacked him with her hat playfully before he took after her threatening to tickle her.

Nothing had thrilled his prankster side more than when he'd accidentally discovered that the love of his life was very, VERY, ticklish. She took off on a dead run away from him trying to hide behind Wally, who just laughed at them and kissed the top of Kuki's wet head. Kuki laughed too, and shivered just a little as she stood waiting drenched and sun-kissed. Before they got too close to the others, Lizzie asked him he one last question. The one most painful to have answered. When?

"When do you leave Nigel?", she asked. He squeezed her shoulders as he stepped toward the gate to Wally's yard behind the others, and replied; "First thing tomorrow morning."


	28. Stay Young

Chapter 28: "Stay Young"

The four members of Nigel Uno's team looked at him with expressions filled with the sad resignation to the idea that they would once again have to let him go. Tears flowed for all, just like the last time they'd done this only now they were deeper, more profound. The group had never been more tightly bound than they were now after the long harrowing months that lay behind them. Nigel's return to them, and their promotion to the current Teen Sector, followed by Wally's capture, and the hellish days that followed were the kiln that they'd passed through together that had fired, and hardened their connection until it had become nigh unbreakable. Now that strength would be tested again by light years of distance and possibly years of time spent apart.

Nigel had stoically told them all of his re-assignment after they'd spent one last pleasant day together at Wally's house. Lizzie had stood in the background lending moral support as he'd spoken the words that his teammates never wanted to hear again. Kuki sobbed loudly into Wally's shoulder, Abby lowered the brim of her hat and stared at the floor, Hoagie tried and failed to wipe the mist from his goggles before anyone could see it there, and Nigel shed his own tears of farewell quietly as they all sat motionless at first taking in the news. Shockingly to all present it was Wally who rose from his seat first and approached his leader, his friend, and clapped him in a brotherly hug. He scrubbed at his eyes as he stepped back, once more reminding Nigel that they'd 'come runnin' if he ever called. Kuki was the next to fly to Numbuh One and clasp him tighter than ever in one of her famous vice-grip hugs. She sniffled her goodbye, and added her thanks for the months of loving care Nigel had taken of her when Wally was missing.

"I know you thought I didn't notice how much you did to protect me from myself, but I knew. I knew and I will never, ever forget it. I'm alive now and with Wally because of _you_, Numbuh One", she stopped as the tears began to flow harder again and she was mildly surprised to feel herself being embraced by her heroic leader. He was the brother she never had and she loved him.

"I could never have done anything else, Kuki. You guys are my family. I love you **all** very much", his voice cracked just a little and Lizzie cried silent tears for these dear, dear friends who seemed to need one another so much and who'd now have to be apart. She'd never really understood when they were little why his friends seemed to be so important to him, but now she was getting to see the reasons first hand once more. The aftermath of Nigel's meltdown had been only a glimpse at their devotion.

Hoagie stepped up next to say his good-bye, but he found that he had no words in his vocabulary which could make it out past the giant lump in his throat. They were all too shallow, anyway – nothing he could say could ever really show his feelings. He did what he had done before in this moment. He bestowed a gift upon his departing leader, and mumbled something about wishing they could go too.

"I wish I could take you all, too Hoagie. But the kids here need you guys. They need you all to lead them, to train them, to get them ready to take your places in a couple of years. Numbuh Two you have to train our pilots, build our ships, and invent new devices to aid our cause. No one can do it like you can old friend", he smiled and put an arm around Numbuh Two's shoulder. Hoagie thanked him, saluted and stepped back to let Abby say her adieu next.

"Here we are again, huh?", she sounded calm and collected and only to her closest friends would the sorrow in her voice be audible.

"I guess so, Abby. Here we are. You know what I'm going to ask you to do for me right?", Nigel asked her as he removed the renowned black sunglasses from his eyes and held them out to her.

"Yeah, yeah Numbuh Five knows the drill, baby. Hand 'em over. I ain't even gonna fight ya on it this time", she smiled with him despite the pain of the circumstances.

"Good. Now lead them Abby, as only you can. Lead Sector TV, get them through 'till decommissioning and when it comes, help them all to go out with pride. They need you. I need you. I could never go if I couldn't be sure you'd take care of them for me", he spoke thickly and turned from her to step to where Lizzie stood.

She had been preparing for this moment, but cried nonetheless as he whispered in her ear words meant to comfort, and encourage her. He held her tightly to him and kissed her brow then her eyes and finally her mouth. Softly his goodbye was spoken with no sound, no words at all, and Lizzie reminded him that she'd be in his corner waiting for as long as it took. He smiled grimly and countered with his own reminder to her to make sure and find happiness in her life. He then released her from his grip, and arm around her he turned to the others and suggested that they all try and get some sleep. Kuki said she'd get Lizzie settled on the air mattress so she would be there to watch Numbuh One's transport launch in the morning. They all made their reflective way to their respective rooms, but when Lizzie and Kuki got to Numbuh Three's room she addressed the heart-broken Asian girl and voiced the common thought

"I can't sleep tonight Kuki, I don't know about the rest of you, but I want to spend every minute I can with Nigel", she looked at the other teen's face awaiting her response.

"I know, I'm not sleepy either, but if Numbuh One wants to sleep we probably should try to let him. He has a long flight in the morning", she ended in a whisper and then they heard sounds of movement outside the curtained door.

What they saw when they stepped out made up their minds for them. Numbuh One stood in the middle of the room looking around as if to memorize the position of everything in it. He was clearly not going to go to bed himself, so the girls stole quietly back into the room behind him and as they did the remaining three friends appeared and gathered around Nigel once again. He turned when he heard them approach and smiled motioning for them all to sit. They did so and spent the remaining hours of the night talking, reminiscing, and enjoying the relaxed camaraderie they shared. Lizzie joined in a little of the conversation, and the others enjoyed getting to know her better too, under slightly less anxious conditions than had initially brought her back into their lives.

At last the time for departure drew near and with a kiss to Lizzie and one last group hug, Nigel boarded his vessel and started the engines. As the ship rose from the hanger floor thunderously, the down-sized Sector T.V. looked on well after it had disappeared from their sight. Abby walked Lizzie home, and Kuki cuddle up to Wally sadly, while Hoagie started rambling about upgrades and improvements he wanted to get started on for the C.O.O.L.B.U.S. right away. He immediately set to work, pouring over his schematics and diagrams.

It was very late, and all the operatives were heading to bed for the night when a transmission came through on the communications station. Kuki was alone in the room when it did and since it was not a priority signal she did not go first to wake Numbuh Five before responding. The face on the screen made her smile joyfully and cry happy tears. It was Numbuh One calling to tell them that he was OK, he'd made it to his destination safely, and to give her one last message to his team. He signed off abruptly, and Kuki padded to her room to go to sleep. She decided that she'd tell the others what he'd said at the morning meeting tomorrow. When she got to her room, she was comforted to see Wally waiting for her.

"What did Numbuh One say, Kooks?", he had apparently caught the voice but not the words through the curtained doorway.

"He said just five words, then the transmission ended", she replied through her crocodile tears. She sniffled and continued speaking after crawling into Wally's waiting arms and curling up tight.

"He said; 'No Matter What – Stay Young.', then he was gone", she buried her face in his chest and he rubbed her back to soothe her. Just as they were drifting off to sleep she heard him repeat the words:

"No Matter What – Stay Young."

END

**Final Author's Notes:**

So there it is. The story with no name finally has both a name and an ending. I hope you all have enjoyed reading as much as I have enjoyed writing it for you. This story is also about to get a full set of illustrations done with the generously shared talents of KrispyKreme14. If you'd like to see them, either visit my profile where I have put the URL (remove the *s), or visit and search for her user name: **KrispyKreme15 (yes 15 on that page, 14 here). **If you have any trouble finding her profile, PM me and I'll try to help you get there. All her art is really great and there's so much more than just what she's doing for this story! Enjoy!

I would like to thank the following readers for their generous assistance in the selection of a title (I know I didn't use any of your exact suggestions, but you led me on the path that got me there):

Jeni27, Numbuh310alltheway, Doragoon, SuperNinjaLeprechan.

If I forgot anyone, please forgive me I tried to keep a list, but if I missed you it was unintentional.

I would also like to acknowledge the kindest, most generous and friendly group of reviewers I have ever encountered. All of you are fabulous! Honorable mentions to: Tater06, without whom this would never have started, KrispyKreme14, whose early reviews kept me from quitting, KNDFangirl, Numbuh310alltheway, and tmcala, whose kindness and generosity in spirit inspired me many times. I humbly thank you all! The story is for you!

Finally, if you are confused, befuddled, lost or otherwise feel that I have left any loose ends PLEASE tell me and I will revisit and correct the problem as quickly as I can. I hope to have tied everything up and brought us back in line with cannon. (You know Nigel is still gone and has only just comeback at the end of I.N.T.E.R.V.I.E.W.S. so I had to send him away again, sorry.) :)


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